Former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga collapsed and died of a heart attack while taking a morning walk in Kochi / Kerala, India on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, ending the life of one of Africa’s most influential political figures at age 80. The Devamatha Hospital in Kerala State confirmed his death, stating that Odinga suffered cardiac arrest and did not respond to resuscitation efforts.
Kenyan President William Ruto declared a seven-day national mourning period with flags flying at half-staff, calling Odinga’s death an immense and immeasurable loss. Ruto announced that Odinga will receive a state funeral as the nation grieves the loss of a man widely regarded as a towering statesman and champion of democracy.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his sadness on the social media platform X, describing Odinga as a towering statesman. Somber scenes unfolded at Odinga’s home in Nairobi, where mourners, including national leaders, gathered to pay their respects.
Born Raila Amolo Odinga on January 7, 1945, in Kisumu near Lake Victoria, he was the son of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Kenya’s first vice president. After studying engineering in East Germany, he returned to Kenya in the 1970s to teach at the University of Nairobi and establish various businesses, including a successful liquid petroleum gas cylinder operation.
Odinga’s political activism began in earnest during the 1980s as he fought against President Daniel arap Moi’s one-party rule. His involvement in opposition politics led to accusations of treason following a failed 1982 coup attempt by air force officers. Though the charges were eventually dropped, Odinga spent much of the next decade in detention, where he described harsh conditions and alleged torture, including being assaulted with a wooden table leg by a police officer.
After a brief exile in Europe in 1991, Odinga returned to Kenya in 1992 and won a seat in the national assembly as an opposition lawmaker representing a Nairobi constituency. His populist campaigns resonated with citizens disaffected by corruption and poverty, establishing him as a formidable political force.
The pinnacle of Odinga’s political career came during the 2007 presidential race, where he united leaders from multiple ethnic groups and drew massive crowds across Kenya. Despite incumbent Mwai Kibaki’s strong economic record, his government faced corruption scandals that weakened his position. The official results showed Odinga with 44 percent against Kibaki’s 46 percent, marking the closest presidential election in Kenyan history.
Odinga’s camp rejected the results, citing concerns about an unreliable electoral authority whose leader later admitted uncertainty about whether Kibaki had actually won. Protests erupted immediately after Kibaki’s inauguration, escalating into ethnic violence that targeted people along tribal lines. Hundreds died in the violence that shattered Kenya’s reputation as a stable democracy in a volatile region.
While Odinga was never accused of inciting violence, future presidents Ruto and Uhuru Kenyatta were among six suspects who faced International Criminal Court charges related to the post-election violence in 2010. The cases yielded no successful prosecutions, with charges withdrawn or dismissed amid claims of witness intimidation and political interference.
Following the turmoil, international mediation led to a unity government with Odinga serving as prime minister. This arrangement allowed him to play a key role in steering Kenya toward multiparty democracy, cementing his legacy as a champion of democratic governance.
Odinga ran for president five times over three decades, never achieving his ultimate ambition but maintaining significant influence on Kenyan politics. In 2017, a court nullified the presidential election after his challenge, marking a first in Africa, though he boycotted the fresh vote citing concerns about credibility without reforms. His 2017 comments to The Associated Press reflected his philosophy on civil disobedience, stating that “street protests were a democratic measure permitted by the country’s constitution.”
His final presidential campaign came in 2022, when outgoing president Kenyatta backed him in a race against Ruto. After losing again, Odinga asserted he had been cheated of victory and launched street protests. Earlier in 2025, he unsuccessfully sought to become executive head of the African Union Commission.
Despite their past rivalry, Odinga had recently signed a political pact with President Ruto that involved his opposition party in government policymaking and appointed its members to cabinet positions. This collaboration marked a significant shift in Kenyan politics, bringing together former adversaries in the interest of national unity.
Odinga is survived by his wife, Ida. His activism and decades-long struggle for democratic governance helped transform Kenya from single-party rule into a vibrant multiparty democracy, making him one of the country’s most enduring and influential political figures.
