Raila Odinga dies at age 80 in India

Raila Amolo Odinga, former Prime Minister of Kenya and the party leader of Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), is dead. Sources at his office ...

Raila Amolo Odinga, former Prime Minister of Kenya and the party leader of Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), is dead.

Sources at his office on Wednesday confirmed the passing of veteran politician in India where he was recovering after undergoing treatment for undisclosed condition.

President William Ruto and Mr Odinga’s family, led by his elder brother, Oburu Oginga, are expected for address the nation on the death.

The 80-year-old leader breathed his last on Wednesday morning in the southern Indian city of Kochi, with Indian Press reporting that he suffered a cardiac arrest during a morning walk.

He was later rushed to Devamatha Hospital in Koothattukulam where he was pronounced dead, with the Indian press quoting police and hospital sources.

Mr Odinga served as Kenya’s prime minister between 2008 and 2013. He contested for the presidency five times — 1997, 2007, 2013, 2017 and 2022.

Mr Odinga flew to India on October 3 amid major speculations about his health status.

At the time his secretariat said, “Raila travelled out of the country on Friday evening – one of the many trips he has made this year, and definitely not the last. He is not indisposed.”

Dr Oginga later confirmed that Mr Odinga had been unwell for a while, but was now recuperating in India.

“Raila, just like any other human being, was indisposed a few days ago but at the moment he is doing fine. He went for a check-up in India and he is now recuperating,” said Dr Oginga, who is also the Odinga family spokesperson.

Mr Odinga’s wife, Ida, had earlier claimed that he had taken a sabbatical leave from politics.

“As someone who lives with him, I know his health better than anyone. How could someone who doesn’t reside with him claim to know more about his condition than I do? What I’ve shared with you is the truth,” she said.

Mr Odinga has kept away from public engagements, including major political events by his ODM party, fueling the ill-health reports.

He was conspicuously missing in the party’s political jamborees held in Kisii, Wajir and Narok counties in the build-up to its 20th anniversary national celebrations.

He, however, made a public appearance after chairing the party’s consultative meeting on the planned celebration at the Serena Hotel in Nairobi on Friday October 3.

A party official had at the time told the Nation that Mr Odinga had travelled for a routine medical check-up.

The source explained that Mr Odinga has always travelled for check-ups following his 2010 head surgery.

He underwent the procedure in June 2010 in order to relieve pressure that had built up outside his brain.

In 1997, he contested the presidency and came third but retained his position as Lang'ata MP.

After the election, he led a merger between his party, NDP, and Mr Moi’s Kanu party.

He served in Moi’s Cabinet as Energy Minister from June 2001 to 2002. In the subsequent Kanu elections, he was elected the party’s secretary-general as part of the power sharing deal of the merger.

In 2002, Mr Odinga fell out with Mr Moi after he endorsed Mr Uhuru, Mr Odinga and other Kanu members, including Kalonzo Musyoka, the late George Saitoti and the late Joseph Kamotho, opposed this step arguing that the then 38-year-old Mr Kenyatta was politically inexperienced and lacked the leadership qualities required to govern.

They joined the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which later teamed up with Mr Mwai Kibaki’s National Alliance Party of Kenya (Nak), a coalition of several other parties, to form the National Rainbow Coalition (Narc) that eventually defeated Mr Kenyatta in the 2002 poll.

He later fell out with Mr Kibaki and contested the presidential election in 2007 that was marred by Kenya's deadliest post-poll violence. He was named Prime Minister in the subsequent grand coalition that was formed after the peace talks mediated by late former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Anan.

He also lost the 2013 presidential election to Mr Kenyatta. After the Supreme Court nullified the poll results, he boycotted the repeat election held on October 2017.

He ran for president again in 2022 but lost to William Ruto. Dr Ruto garnered 50.49 percent of the vote against Raila Odinga's 48.85 percent.

mnyamori@ke.nationmedia.com

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