Kenya’s Veteran Opposition Leader Raila Odinga Dies at 80 While Receiving Treatment in India

Kenyan opposition leader and former prime minister Raila Odinga, one of Africa’s most influential political figures, has died at the age of 80 while undergoing medical treatment in India, officials have confirmed.

Hospital authorities at Devamatha Hospital in Kerala reported that Odinga suffered a fatal heart attack on Wednesday morning. Local police said he collapsed while on a morning walk accompanied by his sister, daughter, personal physician, and security personnel from both Kenya and India.

“He was rushed to a nearby private hospital, but was pronounced dead upon arrival,” said Krishnan M, the additional superintendent of police in Ernakulam, Kerala.

Officials in Odinga’s office also confirmed the death to multiple international media outlets. Indian newspaper Mathrubhumi earlier reported that Odinga had been receiving medical care in the coastal city of Kochi.

Born in 1945, Odinga was the son of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Kenya’s first vice president after independence in 1963. Over a political career spanning more than four decades, he became a symbol of opposition politics and pro-democracy movements across Africa.

Odinga’s passing leaves a major void in Kenya’s political landscape, particularly within the opposition, as the country heads toward the 2027 general elections.

Throughout his life, Odinga made five unsuccessful presidential bids — in 1997, 2007, 2013, 2017, and 2022 — each campaign strengthening his image as a resilient, if controversial, figure in Kenyan politics. His followers affectionately called him “Baba” (father in Swahili), while others referred to him as “Agwambo”, meaning “the mysterious one” in his native Luo language.

A fierce critic of one-party rule under President Daniel arap Moi, Odinga spent years behind bars for his alleged involvement in a 1982 coup attempt. Despite imprisonment and exile, he emerged as one of the key voices pushing for Kenya’s return to multiparty democracy in 1991.

He entered parliament in 1992 and later served as prime minister from 2008 to 2013, following a disputed 2007 election that sparked Kenya’s deadliest political violence since independence — leaving more than 1,300 people dead and displacing hundreds of thousands.

Odinga also played a central role in ushering in Kenya’s new constitution in 2010, which introduced sweeping reforms to decentralize power and strengthen checks on the executive.

News of Odinga’s death prompted an outpouring of grief in Kenya and beyond. President William Ruto visited the Odinga family home in Karen, Nairobi, where hundreds of mourners gathered, some waving tree branches in traditional mourning rituals.

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta, who once opposed Odinga before backing his 2022 presidential run, hailed him as “a father to the nation, a steadfast champion of the people, and a true son of Kenya.”

“His legacy lies not only in the political battles he fought but also in the peace he helped build. It is woven into the very fabric of our nation,” Kenyatta said.

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan described Odinga’s passing as “a tragedy not just for Kenya, but for Africa as a whole,” calling him “a visionary leader, a peacebuilder, and a unifier whose influence transcended borders.”

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid tribute, calling Odinga “a towering statesman and cherished friend of India.”

Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, praised him as “a steadfast advocate for democracy, justice, and people-centred governance whose legacy will continue to inspire generations of African leaders.”

Odinga’s decades-long fight for democracy and justice left an indelible mark on Kenya and the African continent. Even in his final years, he remained active in shaping national dialogue, most recently through a power-sharing pact with President Ruto that saw members of his Azimio la Umoja coalition appointed to key government positions.

As Kenya mourns the man many called “Baba,” his lifelong pursuit of democratic reform, equality, and unity remains a defining chapter in the country’s modern political history.