Kenya and the wider world are mourning the loss of Raila Odinga, a colossal figure in Kenyan politics who served as prime minister and was a presidential contender on five occasions. He passed away at the age of 80 during a visit to India.
Mr. Odinga was instrumental in ushering in multiparty democracy during the 1990s, a period marked by his repeated detentions without trial. His career spanned decades, seeing him navigate roles both within government as a minister and, more famously, as a prominent opposition leader.
Leaders across Africa have extended their condolences. Kenyan President William Ruto announced Odinga’s death in a televised address, declaring seven days of national mourning and a state funeral. President Ruto honored him as a ‘colossus of Kenya’s modern politics, an indomitable warrior in our struggle for freedom and prosperity.’
President Ruto further lauded him as ‘a patriot of uncommon courage’ and a pan-Africanist who ‘offered a compelling model of principled politics.’
Odinga’s passing creates a significant vacuum in Kenyan politics, where he was consistently the leading challenger to various administrations. This could potentially bolster the position of President William Ruto, a former political rival, as he prepares for re-election in 2027.
Devamatha Hospital in Kerala, southern India, confirmed that Mr. Odinga collapsed during a morning walk and passed away on Wednesday at their facility.
According to a local police official, he had been receiving treatment at an ayurvedic hospital for five days prior. After collapsing, doctors attempted CPR before transferring him to Devamatha, where he was pronounced dead approximately two hours later.
The hospital disclosed that Mr. Odinga suffered from diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease. A post-mortem examination is currently underway to determine the exact cause of death.
John Githongo, a renowned anticorruption activist who supported Odinga’s 2022 presidential campaign, remarked, ‘He was by far the most consequential political actor in Kenya over the last 30 years. For a long time, Raila was the center of gravity in Kenya’s particular brand of often brutal elite politics.’
Githongo anticipates that Odinga’s death will trigger ‘major realignments with quite a bit of head-spinning developments’ within Kenya’s political landscape.
In Kisumu, a city in western Kenya and Odinga’s political stronghold, thousands of his Luo ethnic group supporters took to the streets in mourning. They waved tree branches, blew whistles, and honked vehicle horns in a display of collective grief.
Jacob Otieno Akach, a 75-year-old resident of Kisumu, expressed the city’s sentiment: ‘The death of Raila is the death of a hero. His work toward development and democracy is evident and shall live beyond him.’
Odinga’s political journey mirrored Kenya’s own complex path from autocratic, single-party governance to becoming one of Africa’s prominent democracies.
Hailing from western Kenya, Odinga belonged to one of the nation’s most influential political families. His father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, was a key figure in Kenya’s independence movement and served as vice president under its first leader, Jomo Kenyatta.
Early in his career, Odinga became known as an anti-establishment figure, frequently challenging authorities through mass demonstrations and gaining significant popularity in Nairobi’s less privileged areas. He was also instrumental in advocating for the new Kenyan constitution, which was adopted in 2010.
His persistent ambition for the presidency positioned him as a central figure in national politics. However, his repeated unsuccessful bids often disheartened progressives seeking to reform Kenya’s democratic structures amidst volatile elections and persistent ethnic influences.
Despite his fiery opposition reputation, Odinga’s later years saw him make strategic compromises with ruling powers, notably the 2018 ‘handshake’ agreement with President Uhuru Kenyatta.
This agreement quelled intense political hostility and ethnic divisions that followed the contentious 2017 election, initiating a period of political cooperation that largely sidelined the opposition.
The specifics of the ‘handshake’ remained undisclosed, leading critics to believe Odinga was willing to make any compromise to achieve the presidency.
In 2022, Kenyatta reciprocated by endorsing Odinga as his successor. However, Odinga’s fifth presidential campaign ended in defeat during a turbulent election, which William Ruto ultimately won.
Odinga’s early political views were shaped by his time in Eastern Europe, where he studied in communist East Germany on a scholarship in the 1960s. East Germany fostered educational ties with many African countries. Reflecting this influence, he named his first son Fidel, after Fidel Castro.
After a 1982 coup attempt against President Daniel arap Moi failed, Odinga was arrested on treason charges and held without trial for six years.
Upon his release, Odinga spearheaded protests that significantly contributed to Kenya’s re-establishment of multiparty democracy, aligning with a broader trend across African nations following the collapse of the Berlin Wall.
Kenya’s inaugural multiparty election took place in 1992, where Odinga’s father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, unsuccessfully ran for president.
Raila Odinga’s own first presidential bid was five years later, where he placed third behind Mr. Moi.
He finally ascended to political power as prime minister in April 2008. This appointment was part of an agreement to restore peace after widespread post-election violence in late 2007, which claimed over a thousand lives and displaced tens of thousands. The violence erupted following a disputed election where Odinga was the primary challenger, but incumbent Mwai Kibaki was controversially declared the winner amidst widespread allegations of rigging.
Odinga’s choice to join the government allowed Mr. Kibaki to remain president, a move that deeply frustrated many of Odinga’s loyal supporters.
He served as prime minister for five years and subsequently made presidential bids in 2013, 2017, and 2022. In every instance, he lost and alleged that the elections were rigged.
Notably, in 2017, Kenya’s Supreme Court mandated a rerun of the election, citing failures to meet democratic standards. Although Odinga lost again, the court’s landmark decision was celebrated across Africa as a testament to judicial independence and a vindication of his persistent claims.
Towards the end of his career, Odinga’s image as a fierce opposition leader somewhat faded, with many Kenyan progressives beginning to see him as part of the established elite. The recent surge of Gen-Z protesters, advocating for sweeping political reforms, rarely invoked his name as their champion.
Nevertheless, Odinga’s enduring prominence across several decades solidified his reputation and influence throughout Africa, a continent that often reveres political longevity.
With the backing of President Ruto, Odinga pursued the chairmanship of the African Union this year, hoping to secure a long-sought leadership role. However, in a February vote, he was defeated by Djibouti’s foreign minister, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among those who offered condolences, describing Odinga as ‘a towering statesman and a cherished friend of India’ in a social media statement. Modi noted Odinga’s admiration for India’s traditional medicine systems, particularly after his daughter, Rosemary, received treatment at the same ayurvedic hospital in Kerala.
Odera Wycliffe reported from Kisumu, Kenya, and Hari Kumar from New Delhi, India.