Raila Odinga Dies in India Aged 80

Kenya is in mourning following the death of former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga, who passed away in India at the age of 80 while undergoing treatment.

According to family sources, Raila breathed his last on Wednesday morning at a top medical facility in New Delhi, where he had been admitted for specialized care.

His death comes just days after his family and close allies publicly dismissed reports that he was in critical condition, insisting that the ODM leader was on the path to recovery.

Until his passing, Raila’s elder brother and Siaya Senator Dr. Oburu Oginga had assured Kenyans that the ODM party leader was “up and about” and recuperating well.

“Just like any other human being, he was slightly indisposed and is now recuperating and resting,” Oburu had said earlier this week, dismissing speculation that the veteran politician’s condition had deteriorated.

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and businessman SK Macharia had also come out to reassure the nation that Raila was in stable condition. “The Prime Minister is safe and healthy. I have spoken to him, and those wishing him ill are not good people,” Kindiki had said.

Macharia, a longtime confidant of Raila, similarly maintained that the former Premier was in good spirits. “As of this morning, I spoke to Raila from where he is, and yesterday I also rang him. Raila is very healthy, and in a few days, he will be back here with us,” he told journalists at the time.

The shocking news of Raila’s demise has left the country in disbelief.

Tributes have begun pouring in from across the political divide and the international community, honoring him as one of Kenya’s most influential statesmen—a man who dedicated his life to the struggle for democracy, multi-party reforms, and social justice.

Raila Odinga, affectionately known as “Baba” to his supporters, was a towering figure in Kenyan politics for more than four decades.

He served as Prime Minister from 2008 to 2013 in the Grand Coalition Government and remained the face of the opposition for much of the country’s modern political history.

His death marks the end of an era and leaves a profound void in Kenya’s political landscape.