By Huldah Shado
Kenya’s veteran opposition leader and former Prime Minister, Raila Amolo Odinga, has died at the age of 80 while receiving medical treatment in India.
Odinga reportedly collapsed while walking with family members in Kochi, Kerala State, and was pronounced dead at 9:52 a.m. local time on Wednesday after suffering cardiac arrest, according to Devamatha Hospital.
President William Ruto described Odinga as “a beacon of courage and a father of our democracy,” announcing a seven-day national mourning period and a state funeral in his honour.
Tributes have poured in from across Africa and beyond, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling him a “towering statesman,” and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa hailing him as “a leader who placed his country first.”
A five-time presidential contender, Odinga was a dominant figure in Kenyan politics for decades, remembered for his relentless fight for democracy, justice, and national unity.
