Nairobi, Kenya – October 15, 2025- Kenya’s former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga has died while undergoing treatment in Kerala, India, marking the end of an era for one of the country’s most iconic and influential political figures.
According to reports by Indian and international media, the 80-year-old opposition leader collapsed during a morning walk at an Ayurvedic wellness centre in Kerala on Wednesday morning. He was rushed to the nearby Devamatha Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead at around 9:52 a.m. Indian time.
Odinga had travelled to India for specialised Ayurvedic therapy and had been receiving treatment for several days before the incident.
His death was first reported by Indian news outlets and later confirmed by sources close to the family and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
News of his passing has sent shockwaves across Kenya and the African continent, with tributes pouring in from leaders, colleagues, and citizens who remembered him as a fearless reformist and a tireless champion for democracy.
“Kenya has lost a statesman, a patriot, and a unifying figure whose contribution to our nation’s democratic journey will never be forgotten,” said a statement from a senior ODM official.
A Life of Struggle and Leadership
Born on January 7, 1945, in Maseno, Kisumu County, Raila Odinga was the son of Kenya’s first Vice President, the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.
He trained as an engineer in East Germany before joining public service and later emerging as a key figure in Kenya’s pro-democracy movement in the 1980s and 1990s.
Odinga was detained without trial for nearly a decade by the Moi regime due to his role in the push for multiparty democracy. He would later become a key architect of Kenya’s reform agenda and one of the country’s longest-serving opposition leaders.
In 2008, Odinga became Kenya’s second Prime Minister following the post-election crisis, serving alongside President Mwai Kibaki in a Grand Coalition Government. He was credited with championing devolution, constitutional reforms, and infrastructure growth during his tenure.
In 2018, he stunned the nation when he shook hands with then-President Uhuru Kenyatta, signaling a truce that ended years of political rivalry and paved the way for national reconciliation.
At the time of his death, Odinga had recently been endorsed as Kenya’s candidate for Chairperson of the African Union Commission, underscoring his continued influence on the continental stage.
Nation in Mourning
President William Ruto is expected to issue a formal statement later on Wednesday afternoon, while ODM and the Odinga family are set to announce funeral and repatriation arrangements.
Flags are expected to fly at half-mast once the government declares a national mourning period.
Raila Odinga is survived by his wife Ida Odinga and their children Fidel (deceased), Rosemary, Raila Jr., and Winnie Odinga.
