Former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga Dies in India at 80

Former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga has died in the Indian city of Kochi at the age of 80, according to media reports

Odinga passed away while receiving treatment in the town of Koothattukulam after suffering a heart attack during a morning walk.

Odinga had arrived in India a few days earlier with his daughter and personal doctor. He had long-standing ties with Sreedharyam Hospital in Koothattukulam, where his daughter previously underwent treatment after losing her sight, according to India’s Kerala Kaumudi newspaper.

Born on 7 January 1945 in Maseno, western Kenya, Raila Amolo Odinga was the son of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Kenya’s first vice president under Jomo Kenyatta. A central figure in the country’s political scene, Odinga was widely admired for his resilience and leadership, commanding strong loyalty among his supporters who often rallied behind him amid allegations of electoral fraud.

Kenya’s political landscape during Odinga’s career was marked by deep tensions and ethnic unrest, particularly following the disputed 2007 elections that left more than 1,100 people dead and displaced about 350,000. The crisis ended after international mediation led by former South African President Thabo Mbeki and the United Nations, resulting in Odinga’s appointment as prime minister in a coalition government under President Mwai Kibaki.

Odinga ran unsuccessfully for president five times, most recently in 2022 when he narrowly lost to William Ruto. Although Kenya’s Supreme Court upheld the results, Odinga contested the outcome, alleging electoral manipulation and calling for protests against rising living costs — demonstrations that turned deadly. Later, he reconciled with Ruto, leading to members of his party joining the government.

Before his political career, Odinga studied engineering in Germany and taught at the University of Nairobi before founding his own company. He was detained in 1982 for alleged involvement in an attempted coup against President Daniel arap Moi and spent six years in prison without trial. He was later arrested twice more, with his final release in 1991 coinciding with Kenya’s transition to multiparty democracy.

Odinga co-founded the Forum for the Restoration of Democracy and was elected as a Member of Parliament for Langata in Nairobi in 1992. Over the following decades, he became one of Kenya’s most influential politicians, serving as energy minister, public works minister, and later prime minister.