NAIROBI, Kenya — Former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga, one of the country’s most influential and enduring political figures, has died at the age of 80.
According to reports from his family and close aides, Odinga collapsed during a morning walk in Kochi, India, where he had been undergoing treatment for an undisclosed condition. He was rushed to Devamatha Hospital in Koothattukulam, where doctors pronounced him dead.
Fondly known as “Baba”, Raila Odinga was a towering figure in Kenyan politics for over four decades. A symbol of reform, democracy, and resilience, he served as Prime Minister from 2008 to 2013 in Kenya’s Grand Coalition Government following the disputed 2007 election.
Odinga, the leader of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), was a five-time presidential contender—running unsuccessfully in 1997, 2007, 2013, 2017, and 2022—each campaign shaping Kenya’s political landscape in profound ways. His lifelong pursuit of electoral justice and good governance made him both a beloved and polarizing figure in the country’s modern history.
Over his long career, Raila championed multiparty democracy, fought against one-party rule during the Moi era, and played a central role in Kenya’s 2010 constitutional reform. His charisma, powerful oratory, and grassroots mobilization made him a national icon whose influence transcended political and ethnic divides.
Condolences have begun pouring in from across the country and abroad, with world leaders, former allies, and political rivals describing Odinga as a patriot, visionary, and champion of democracy.
Flags are expected to fly at half-mast as Kenya enters a period of mourning for a man many considered the father of modern opposition politics.
Raila Odinga is survived by his wife, Ida Odinga, and their children.
