The former Prime Minister and opposition leader reportedly suffered cardiac arrest during a morning walk at an Indian hospital.
Kenya’s former Prime Minister and opposition figurehead, Raila Odinga, is dead. He passed away at the age of 80 after reportedly suffering cardiac arrest in India.
Indian newspapers Mathrubhumi and The Hindu broke the news early Wednesday, revealing that Odinga suffered the cardiac arrest during a morning walk at the Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic Eye Hospital and Research Centre, where he was receiving treatment.
Born on January 7, 1945, in Maseno, Odinga served as a Member of Parliament for Langata between 1992 and 2013. He later became Kenya’s Prime Minister from 2008 to 2013 under a power-sharing arrangement that followed the country’s violent 2007 elections.
A seasoned opposition leader and democracy icon, Odinga contested Kenya’s presidency five times, including in 2017 and 2022, but was never declared the winner.
His death closes a monumental chapter in Kenya’s political history, as the nation mourns a man who dedicated his life to justice, reform, and the pursuit of national unity.
