Kenya has been thrown into mourning following the passing of veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga.
He reportedly died in India at the age of 80 during a morning walk, according to Indian police.
Authorities confirmed that Odinga collapsed while walking with his sister, daughter, and personal doctor in Kerala State on Wednesday morning.
He was accompanied by Indian and Kenyan security officials at the time of the incident.
Despite being rushed to a nearby hospital after attempts to revive him through CPR, doctors pronounced him d€ad on arrival, officials said.
A spokesperson from the Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic Eye Hospital and Research Centre in Kerala, where the respected statesman had been receiving treatment, confirmed the tragic event:
“Around 7:45 a.m., Mr. Raila was on his morning walk when he suddenly experienced breathing difficulties and collapsed. CPR was administered immediately, and he was rushed to a hospital, but sadly, he could not be saved.”
A source within Odinga’s political circle spoke anonymously pending an official statement, also confirmed the devastating loss.
Born on January 7, 1945, Raila Odinga was a towering figure in Kenyan politics.
This is a man who endured imprisonment and exile under President Daniel arap Moi’s authoritarian regime.
Also, he fought for democracy and reform.
He entered parliament in 1992 and contested the Kenyan presidency five times — in 1997, 2007, 2013, 2017, and 2022, each time claiming he was denied victory through electoral malpractice.
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Odinga’s death marks the end of a political era, as Kenya bids farewell to one of its most resilient leaders.
