Former Kenyan PM Raila Odinga confirmed dead at age 80

Former Prime Minister of Kenya, Raila Odinga, has died at the age of 80, the BBC has reported.

According to the outlet, Odinga passed away on Wednesday while undergoing medical treatment at a hospital in India. Indian police told AFP that he was walking with family members and his personal doctor “when he suddenly collapsed.” He was quickly rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead.

Rumours about Odinga’s health had circulated for weeks, though relatives and close political allies dismissed claims that he was critically ill. Since news of his death broke, condolences have poured in from leaders across Africa, including Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

Odinga was a dominant and transformative figure in Kenyan politics for decades. A fierce advocate for democracy, he contested the presidency five times but never succeeded. On each occasion, he rejected the results, alleging electoral irregularities.

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In 2017, Kenya’s Supreme Court supported his challenge by annulling President Uhuru Kenyatta’s election victory and ordering a rerun, which Odinga later boycotted, insisting on electoral reforms.

The disputed 2007 presidential election, which he claimed was rigged in favour of Mwai Kibaki, triggered Kenya’s worst post-election violence. More than 1,200 people lost their lives and about 600,000 were displaced. The crisis was resolved after former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan brokered a power-sharing deal that saw Odinga become Prime Minister.

Despite being a strong opposition figure, Odinga often reconciled with his political rivals. Following his 2022 loss, he joined President William Ruto’s government in a national unity arrangement that placed some of his allies in key roles. Odinga defended the move as necessary for peace after nationwide protests that left several people dead.

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Earlier in 2025, Odinga contested for the position of Chairperson of the African Union Commission, backed by President Ruto’s administration. Despite strong regional support, he lost to Djibouti’s Mahmoud Ali Youssouf.

Affectionately known by his supporters as “Baba” (Father), “Agwambo” (Act of God), and “Tinga” (Tractor), Odinga remained one of Kenya’s most influential political leaders, particularly in his home region of western Kenya.

A lifelong campaigner for freedom and justice, Odinga spent nearly a decade in detention under President Daniel arap Moi’s one-party regime. He was jailed twice, between 1982 and 1988 and again from 1989 to 1991, following allegations of involvement in a coup attempt.

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Raila Odinga will be remembered as a tireless advocate for democracy, a master political strategist, and one of Africa’s most enduring opposition voices.

Source: BBC News, AFP