Odinga, 80, suffered a heart attack during his morning walk and was rushed to the Devamatha Hospital at Koothattukulam, where he was pronounced dead.
Published Oct 15, 2025 | 12:38 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 15, 2025 | 3:30 PM
Raila Amolo Odinga (7 January 1945 - 15 October 2025).
Synopsis: Odinga arrived in Kerala six days ago with his family for his daughter’s treatment at Sreedhareeyam Eye Hospital in Koothattukulam. He had visited the facility multiple times for his daughter Rosemary Odinga’s eye ailment.
Former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga passed away on Wednesday morning at Koothattukulam in Ernakulam on Wednesday, 15 October.
The 80-year-old leader suffered a heart attack during his morning walk and was rushed to the Devamatha Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Odinga, a towering figure in Kenyan politics, was the prime minister from 2008 to 2013 and contested the presidency five times.
He had arrived in Kerala six days ago with his family for her daughter’s treatment at Sreedhareeyam Eye Hospital in Koothattukulam. He had visited the facility multiple times for his daughter Rosemary Odinga’s eye ailment.
Rosemary lost her eyesight in 2017 after a surgery for brain tumour.
Despite treatment in several countries, her vision reportedly improved only after Ayurvedic therapy at Sreedhareeyam in 2019.
Her recovery had even been mentioned by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address in 2022.
Arrangements are being made through the Kenyan Embassy to send back Odinga’s body.
His death marks the end of an era in Kenyan politics, where he remained a central figure for over three decades as the prime minister, MP, and Leader of the Opposition.
Koothattukulam Police, while confirming the death, said that his mortal remains were being kept at the Devamatha Hospital, and further proceedings will be initiated upon the arrival of higher officials.
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Odinga’s death comes against a backdrop of persistent health rumours that he and his camp have repeatedly rejected.
In early October, his spokesperson Dennis Onyango dismissed reports of failing health as politically motivated disinformation, accusing rivals of circulating fabricated stories and images.
The ODM had also postponed plans to mark its 20th anniversary in Mombasa amid the speculation.
Family members, including his elder brother and Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga, had publicly insisted Raila was recuperating and in good spirits while undergoing treatment abroad.
Odinga’s unexpected death brings to an end a long public life that, in its final days, was marked by denials of ill health even as worry and conjecture swirled around him.
As the news of Odinga’s death spread, tributes and reactions flooded social media in Kenya and beyond, reflecting the profound impact he had on that nation’s political landscape.
Fondly called “Baba” by his supporters, Odinga was a towering opposition figure and a relentless advocate for democratic reforms, they recalled.
Over his long career, he ran for the presidency five times — in 1997, 2007, 2013, 2017, and 2022 — but never won.
Two of those bitterly contested elections ended in violent unrest, a decade apart, leaving deep scars on the country.
However, Odinga, a key democracy activist, played a central role in ushering in multiparty democracy in 1991 and championed the adoption of Kenya’s 2010 constitution.
He also led mass protests after the disputed 2007 election, which triggered the country’s worst political violence since independence, claiming over 1,300 lives and displacing hundreds of thousands.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the African Union on Wednesday condoled the death of former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, describing him as a towering statesman and a visionary leader who shaped Kenya’s political landscape for decades.
“Deeply saddened by the passing of my dear friend and former Prime Minister of Kenya, Mr. Raila Odinga. He was a towering statesman and a cherished friend of India,” Modi said in a message.
Recalling their association since his days as Chief Minister of Gujarat, Modi highlighted Odinga’s “special affection for India, its culture, values and ancient wisdom,” and his role in strengthening bilateral ties.
Modi also noted Odinga’s admiration for Ayurveda and traditional Indian medicine, which he credited for helping improve his daughter’s health.
Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, also paid tribute, calling Odinga “a steadfast champion of democracy, good governance, and people-centered development.”
“Africa has lost one of its most visionary sons,” Youssouf said, adding that Odinga’s legacy of justice, democracy, and unity would continue to inspire the continent.
At the same time, the Odinga family in a brief statement, asked Kenyans to pray for them during this difficult time as arrangements are made to take his body back home.
