NAIROBI, Kenya—Kenya’s political titan, Raila Amolo Odinga, a towering figure who spent five decades at the heart of the nation’s turbulent democracy, has died in India at the age of 80. The veteran opposition leader and former Prime Minister suffered a cardiac arrest on Wednesday while on a private visit for medical treatment in the southern city of Kochi.
His death, confirmed by Devamatha Hospital in the state of Kerala, immediately plunged Kenya into a state of shock and national mourning, marking the end of an era defined by his relentless fight against one-party rule and his perennial, yet unsuccessful, quest for the presidency.
The Uncrowned President
Affectionately known to millions of supporters as “Baba” (Swahili for “father”), Odinga’s life story is inextricably linked to Kenya’s post-independence history. The son of Kenya’s first Vice-President, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, he was a fiery politician and a mechanical engineer who sacrificed personal freedom for political reform.
He was imprisoned without trial for six years in the 1980s under the autocratic regime of President Daniel arap Moi, bearing the scars of detention and torture in his fight for multiparty democracy. His activism led to the constitutional reforms that fundamentally reshaped the country’s political landscape in the 1990s and 2010.
Despite running for the presidency a remarkable five times between 1997 and 2022, Odinga never clinched the top office. His narrow loss in the disputed 2007 election, which led to post-election violence that killed over 1,300 people, remains the most controversial moment of his career. The subsequent peace agreement saw him serve as Prime Minister in a coalition government.
A Champion of Dialogue and Unity
Even in his final years, Odinga continued to dominate headlines. His ability to forge alliances with former adversaries became his unique political signature. This included the famous “Handshake” with his then-rival, President Uhuru Kenyatta, and, most recently, a political pact with the current President William Ruto following a closely contested 2022 election.
President Ruto led the tributes in a sombre address to the nation, declaring seven days of national mourning and announcing that Odinga would be accorded a State Funeral.
“Kenya, Africa, and the world mourn the passing of a giant of democracy, a fearless freedom fighter, and tireless warrior of good governance,” President Ruto said. “He was a once-in-a-generation leader… a unifier who sought peace and unity above power and self-gain.”
Tributes poured in from across the continent and beyond, with leaders describing him as a “towering statesman” and a “steadfast champion of democracy.” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid his respects, calling Odinga “a cherished friend of India.”
The sudden death of the leader of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leaves a massive void in Kenya’s political opposition, raising immediate questions about the country’s political direction ahead of the 2027 general elections. For his millions of followers, the mourning is profound—the passing of the man they believed was destiny’s president, the ultimate symbol of Kenyan resistance and hope.