KOCHI, INDIA — Former Kenyan Prime Minister and veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga has died at the age of 80 after suffering a sudden cardiac failure while undergoing treatment in the southern Indian state of Kerala.
Mr. Odinga, a towering figure in Kenyan politics who served as the country’s Prime Minister from 2008 to 2013 and contested the presidency five times, passed away early this morning at an Ayurvedic eye hospital in Koothattukulam, Ernakulam district.
Hospital authorities confirmed that Mr. Odinga collapsed while taking a morning walk within the premises of the Ayurvedic facility. He was accompanied by his daughter and personal doctor at the time of the incident, and subsequent efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.
The veteran politician had reportedly traveled to India recently for rest and specialized Ayurvedic treatment, a deeply personal decision influenced by his family’s previous successful experience with the hospital. His daughter, Rosemary Odinga, had previously received treatment at the same facility that successfully helped her regain her eyesight after a period of vision loss.
A Legacy of Opposition and Reform
Mr. Odinga’s death marks the end of a political era in Kenya. Known widely as “Baba” (father), his career spanned over four decades, during which he was imprisoned for his pro-democracy stance and was a principal orchestrator of major constitutional and electoral reforms.
He remained the nation’s foremost opposition figure, leading the Azimio la Umoja–One Kenya Coalition Party and continuing to challenge election results, despite multiple unsuccessful bids for the presidency. His passing is expected to trigger a significant period of political realignment within Kenya’s opposition movement.
The Kenyan government and the embassy in New Delhi have been notified, and arrangements are now underway for the repatriation of his body. Tributes from political allies and rivals are already pouring in across Kenya and the African continent, mourning the loss of a pivotal and often controversial statesman.
