7 photos of Raila Odinga, William Ruto during happy moments

Former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga, one of Kenya’s most influential political figures, has died at the age of 80 while undergoing treatment in India.

According to Reuters, Odinga passed away on Wednesday morning, October 15, 2025, after suffering a cardiac arrest during a morning walk in Kochi, Kerala. 

The Standard established that Raila had been on bed rest, battling bacterial infections. 

Odinga collapsed at an Ayurvedic treatment centre in Koothattukulam, Ernakulam district, where he had been receiving treatment. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival despite efforts by medics to resuscitate him.

Reports indicate that Odinga had been in India for several weeks for Ayurvedic treatment, with his stay kept private. His body has since been preserved at the hospital morgue as arrangements for repatriation to Kenya are being finalised.

Odinga’s passing has drawn shockwaves across Kenya and beyond, with world leaders and Kenyan citizens mourning the man widely regarded as the face of Kenya’s struggle for democracy and reform.

Born on January 7, 1945, Raila Odinga was the son of Kenya’s first Vice President, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga. He was a leading voice in the fight for multiparty democracy in the early 1990s, a struggle that saw him detained multiple times.

Odinga served as Prime Minister from 2008 to 2013 in a grand coalition government formed after the disputed 2007 general election. Despite contesting the presidency five times,1997, 2007, 2013, 2017, and 2022, he never clinched the top seat, though his political influence remained unmatched.

Throughout his career, Odinga championed constitutional reforms and social justice, leaving a mark as one of Africa’s most resilient opposition leaders. His calls for unity, devolution, and economic fairness inspired millions, while his charisma earned him global recognition.

Recently, speculation over Raila's health dominated social media, prompting family members, including his brother Senator Oburu Odinga, to clarify that he was in India recuperating and not critically ill.

Fact-checking platforms such as Africa Check had also flagged circulating videos claiming he was alive as AI-manipulated content, urging the public to rely on verified news sources.

As tributes pour in, world leaders, African statesmen, and Kenyans from all walks of life are remembering Raila Odinga as a freedom fighter, statesman, and symbol of resilience.