Kenya’s veteran opposition leader and former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, has died at the age of 80 while on a medical visit to India, authorities have confirmed.
According to Indian police, Odinga was walking with his sister, daughter, and personal doctor when he suddenly collapsed. He was immediately rushed to a nearby private hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.
“An Indian police security officer and a Kenyan security officer were also with them at the time,” an Indian police source said. “He was provided emergency care but could not be revived.”
A spokesperson for the Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic Eye Hospital and Research Centre in Kerala confirmed that Odinga experienced breathing difficulties before collapsing. Despite CPR and continued medical efforts, he did not recover.
Odinga’s death marks a major turning point in Kenyan politics. A dominant figure for decades, he led the National Super Alliance (NASA) and contested the presidency five times in 1997, 2007, 2013, 2017, and 2022, often alleging electoral malpractice.
A pan-Africanist and pro-democracy advocate, Odinga spent years in detention and exile during the regime of President Daniel arap Moi. Despite coming from one of Kenya’s most influential political families, his father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, was Kenya’s first vice president — Raila was widely regarded as a voice for reform and opposition unity.
Tributes have poured in from across Africa. Kenya’s former Chief Justice David Maraga described him as “a patriot, a pan-Africanist, and a democrat who made significant contributions to democracy in Kenya and Africa.”
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed also expressed condolences, writing, “Africa has lost a leading voice in peace, security, and development. May he rest in peace.”
Odinga’s passing leaves a leadership vacuum in Kenya’s opposition as the country prepares for its 2027 general elections, raising uncertainty about who can command his level of national and regional influence.
