Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga dies in India

By : AFP

Date: 15 October 2025 9:09am WAT

(FILES) In this file photo taken on March 13, 2019 Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta speaks as he gives a joint statement with the French president during an event at Nairobi Central Railway Station in Nairobi on the first day of a state visit to Kenya. - Kenya's Court of Appeal will give its verdict on August 20, 2021 on the president's controversial three-year quest to change the constitution, a ruling likely to shake up the political landscape less than a year before elections. President Uhuru Kenyatta argues his proposed modifications to the 2010 constitution will help end repeated cycles of election violence in the East African country, a hot button issue that has divided the political elite. The reforms, popularly known as the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), came about following a rapprochement between Kenyatta and his erstwhile opponent Raila Odinga after drawn-out post election violence in 2017 left dozens of people dead. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP)

Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga has died in India, Indian police said Wednesday. He was aged 80.

“The death is confirmed,” Krishnan M, additional superintendent of police in India’s southern state of Kerala, told AFP.

“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.”

Odinga’s death was also confirmed to AFP by a member of his political team but they requested anonymity while awaiting an official announcement from the party.

A spokesman for the Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic Eye Hospital and Research Centre in Kerala also confirmed the death.

“This morning, around 07:45 am, Mr. Raila was on his morning walks,” the spokesman told AFP.

“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.”

Born on January 7, 1945, he spent his early years in politics either in jail or in exile, fighting for democracy during the autocratic rule of president Daniel arap Moi.

A member of the Luo tribe, he entered parliament in 1992 and ran unsuccessfully for the presidency in 1997, 2007, 2013, 2017 and 2022, claiming to have been cheated of victory in the last four elections.