Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga dies of heart attack in India at 80

The erstwhile Kenyan PM had collapsed during a greeting locomotion successful confederate India, wherever helium was receiving aesculapian treatment.

Kenyan absorption person Raila Odinga, ​​a cardinal fig successful African politics, has died astatine the property of 80 during a travel to India for aesculapian treatment, according to section constabulary and infirmary officials.

The erstwhile premier minister, who arsenic absorption person had waged 5 unsuccessful statesmanlike campaigns betwixt 1997 and 2022, had suffered a bosom attack, the Devamatha Hospital successful the confederate Indian authorities of Kerala confirmed to The Associated Press quality bureau connected Wednesday.

Odinga was a ascendant unit successful Kenyan politics, and his decease volition permission a important enactment vacuum wrong the country’s governmental absorption up of elections successful 2027.

An Indian constabulary authoritative told the AFP quality bureau that Odinga had been connected a greeting walk, accompanied by his sister, daughter, a idiosyncratic doctor, and Indian and Kenyan information officers, erstwhile helium collapsed.

“He was rushed to a adjacent backstage hospital, but was declared dead,” said Krishnan M, further superintendent of constabulary successful Ernakulam, Kerala.

Unnamed officials successful Odinga’s bureau besides confirmed the decease to quality agencies.

Indian paper Mathrubhumi had earlier reported the death, adding that Odinga had been undergoing aesculapian attraction successful the state’s Kochi city.

Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic infirmary successful Koothattukulam successful India’s confederate authorities of Kerala, wherever Raila Odinga had been undergoing attraction [AP Photo]

Pro-democracy campaigner

Born connected January 7, 1945, Odinga was the lad of the country’s archetypal vice president aft independency successful 1963.

A subordinate of the Luo tribe, helium spent astir of his big beingness successful politics, including clip successful exile and 8 years successful situation arsenic a pro-democracy campaigner – but ne'er achieved his extremity of becoming Kenya’s president.

Odinga archetypal entered parliament successful 1992, and ran unsuccessful statesmanlike campaigns successful 1997, 2007, 2013, 2017 and 2022.

He claimed to person been cheated of triumph successful the past 4 elections, and led protests aft the disputed 2007 predetermination that led to Kenya’s astir superior bout of political violence since independence.

About 1,300 radical were killed and hundreds of thousands displaced from their homes successful the battles. Large-scale protests besides broke out during the 2017 election, successful which the Supreme Court annulled the results of an archetypal poll, and Odinga withdrew from the follow-up, saying it would not beryllium escaped and fair.

Odinga’s pro-democracy activism implicit the years helped thrust 2 of the country’s astir important governmental reforms: multiparty ideology successful 1991 and a caller constitution successful 2010.

In March, helium signed a pact with Kenyan President William Ruto that saw his absorption Azimio la Umoja enactment progressive successful captious policymaking and its members appointed to the cabinet.

‘A large leader’

Kenya’s erstwhile main justness and statesmanlike hopeful, David Maraga, said helium was “shocked” by quality of Odinga’s death.

Odinga was “a patriot, a pan-Africanist, a politician and a person who made important contributions to ideology successful Kenya and successful Africa”, Maraga wrote connected X.

“Kenya has mislaid 1 of its astir formidable leaders who shaped the trajectory of our beloved country. Africa has mislaid a starring dependable successful pushing for peace, information and development. The satellite has mislaid a large leader,” helium added.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was among the archetypal to react, posting connected X: “On behalf of the Government of Ethiopia, I widen my sincere condolences connected the passing of erstwhile Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga. May helium Rest In Peace.”

I americium shocked to larn of the demise of erstwhile Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga, a patriot, a pan-Africanist, a politician and a person who made important contributions to ideology successful Kenya and successful Africa.

Kenya has mislaid 1 of its astir formidable leaders who shaped… pic.twitter.com/md6vfXyt9f

— David Maraga (@dkmaraga) October 15, 2025