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Kenyan opposition leader, Raila Odinga, has died in India at the age of 80, Indian police confirmed on Wednesday.
Krishnan M, Additional Superintendent of Police in Kerala State, told AFP that Odinga collapsed while on a morning walk with his sister, daughter, and personal doctor.
“The Kenyan national was on a walk with his sister, daughter, and a personal doctor when he suddenly collapsed. An Indian police security officer and a Kenyan security officer were also with them at the time. He was rushed to a nearby private hospital, but was declared dead,” Krishnan said.
A spokesman for the Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic Eye Hospital and Research Centre in Kerala, where Odinga had been receiving care, also confirmed the death.
“This morning, around 07:45 am, Mr Raila was on his morning walk. Suddenly, he experienced some breathing difficulties and collapsed. He was provided CPR on the spot and having seen some sign of recovery, he was rushed to the nearest modern hospital. Despite repeated efforts by the medicos, his condition deteriorated and the doctors were unable to save him,” the spokesman explained.
A member of Odinga’s political team also confirmed the death to AFP but requested anonymity, pending an official announcement by his party.
Born on January 7, 1945, Odinga was a towering figure in Kenyan politics for over four decades. A member of the Luo ethnic group, he endured imprisonment and exile during the autocratic rule of President Daniel Arap Moi, earning a reputation as one of the country’s foremost pro-democracy campaigners.
He entered parliament in 1992 and ran for the presidency five times in 1997, 2007, 2013, 2017, and 2022. In the last four attempts, he alleged electoral fraud and maintained he had been cheated of victory.
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