By Ademuyiwa Balikis
Kenya’s veteran opposition leader and former Prime Minister, Raila Amolo Odinga, has died at the age of 80 while undergoing medical treatment in Kochi, Kerala, India.
Odinga, who had travelled to India for Ayurvedic therapy, reportedly collapsed during a morning walk on Wednesday and was rushed to Devamatha Hospital, where doctors said he did not respond to resuscitation efforts. Hospital officials and sources confirmed that he died of a heart attack.
His death marks the end of an era for a man widely seen as the face of Kenya’s modern democracy.
Born on January 7, 1945, in Maseno, Western Kenya, Raila Odinga was the son of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, the country’s first Vice President and a key figure in the independence movement. Educated in East Germany, Raila earned a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering before returning to Kenya as a lecturer at the University of Nairobi.
He entered politics in the 1980s and became one of the most fearless voices against the one-party rule of President Daniel arap Moi. In 1982, Odinga was arrested and detained for six years without trial after being accused of involvement in an attempted coup. The long imprisonment turned him into a symbol of defiance and strengthened his resolve to fight for democratic reforms.
When Kenya adopted multi-party democracy in the early 1990s, Raila played a central role in pushing for political freedoms and constitutional change. He later founded the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), one of the most influential political parties in the country.
Odinga ran for president five times, in 1997, 2007, 2013, 2017, and 2022, and came close to victory on several occasions. The 2007 election, marred by widespread allegations of rigging, triggered violent unrest that claimed more than 1,000 lives. Following mediation, Odinga joined a coalition government as Prime Minister under President Mwai Kibaki from 2008 to 2013. During that period, he oversaw key reforms, including the passage of Kenya’s 2010 Constitution, which introduced devolution and expanded political freedoms.
Although he never achieved the presidency, Odinga remained the most consistent and influential opposition figure in Kenya’s history. He was affectionately called Baba, a name that symbolized his bond with ordinary citizens and his reputation as a father figure in the country’s political struggles.
In his later years, Odinga sought to bridge political divides, including a recent political truce with President William Ruto aimed at stabilizing the nation’s leadership.
President Ruto has declared a seven-day period of national mourning in honor of the late leader. The national flag will fly at half-mast across Kenya, and Odinga will be accorded a state funeral with full honors. A committee, co-chaired by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and Senator Oburu Oginga, Raila’s elder brother,has been set up to coordinate the burial arrangements.
Tributes have poured in from across Africa and beyond, describing him as a freedom fighter, a visionary reformer, and a symbol of perseverance who never lost faith in Kenya’s democracy.
Raila Odinga’s political journey was defined by resilience, sacrifice, and unwavering belief in justice. Even though he never sat in State House, he will be remembered as the man who shaped Kenya’s democratic identity and gave his life to the service of his people.As many Kenyans have said in tribute,
“Raila lost elections, but he never lost the people.”
