Kenya’s political titan, Raila Odinga, has died at the age of 80. The former prime minister passed away on Wednesday in India after suffering cardiac arrest during a morning walk at an Ayurvedic hospital, his family said.
Odinga had been receiving treatment for bacterial infections and was on bed rest before the sudden collapse that led to his death.
A towering figure in Kenyan and African politics, Odinga served as Kenya’s prime minister from 2008 to 2013 and led the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), one of the country’s leading opposition parties. Known for his fiery rhetoric and unyielding pursuit of reform, he contested the presidency five times, each defeat marked by claims of electoral fraud.
Beyond Kenya, Odinga’s voice resonated across Africa. In 2019, he sharply criticised the culture of corruption among public officeholders, using Nigeria as an example of how power is often abused for personal gain.
Despite his frequent clashes with sitting presidents, he was also known for his reconciliatory moves. After his last electoral loss in 2022, he joined President William Ruto in a unity government that saw several of his allies appointed to senior positions.
Earlier this year, Odinga was widely seen as the frontrunner to lead the African Union Commission, with strong backing from across the continent including former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo but he ultimately lost to Djibouti’s Mahmoud Ali Youssouf.
Odinga, who lost his eldest son Fidel in 2015, is survived by his wife Ida and three children.
President Ruto is expected to address the nation following the statesman’s passing.
