NAIROBI – Raila Odinga, Kenya’s former prime minister and a towering figure in the nation’s politics, has died. He was 80.
The veteran opposition leader passed away on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at the Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic Eye Hospital and Research Centre in Koothattukulam, Kerala, India. According to hospital authorities, Odinga suffered a fatal cardiac arrest during his morning walk on the hospital campus.
He was rushed for medical attention and was pronounced dead at approximately 9:52 a.m. Indian time. Reports confirm that his daughter and his personal doctor were with him at the time of his passing. Odinga had been undergoing treatment at the facility for the past five days, having arrived in India on October 3 for medical care amid ongoing health concerns.
Odinga’s political career spanned decades, marked by his pivotal role in shaping modern Kenya. He served as the country’s prime minister from 2008 to 2013 under a power-sharing agreement, a period that helped stabilize the nation after a contentious election. A champion of democratic reforms, he was instrumental in the passage of Kenya’s 2010 constitution.
His influence extended through five spirited bids for the presidency, cementing his status as a formidable force in Kenyan politics and a central figure in the opposition.
News of his death has sent shockwaves through Kenya and across the African continent, where he was regarded as an elder statesman and a symbol of the struggle for multi-party democracy.
