Former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga has died at the age of 80, his office confirmed on Wednesday.
According to the Indian newspaper Mathrubhumi, Odinga, who was receiving medical treatment in the southern Indian city of Kochi, reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest on Wednesday morning. He was rushed to hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.
Odinga, one of Kenya’s most influential political figures, ran for president five times but never won. Two of those elections led to post-election violence and political unrest, marking some of the most turbulent moments in Kenya’s history.
A respected pro-democracy activist, Odinga, is credited with playing a pivotal role in bringing about multiparty democracy in 1991 and Kenya’s new constitution in 2010. His tireless efforts shaped the country’s political landscape for decades.
Raila Odinga led mass protests after the disputed 2007 presidential election, which plunged Kenya into its worst political violence since independence. About 1,300 people were killed, and hundreds of thousands were displaced during the crisis.
The late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga will be laid to rest within 72 hours in accordance with his personal wishes, family sources have confirmed. Plans for his interment are already underway, with close family members and government officials working together to accord him a dignified farewell.
The East African country’s President William Ruto has announced that Odinga will be accorded a state funeral in recognition of his lifelong service to the nation and his pivotal role in shaping Kenya’s democratic journey. The government is expected to release a detailed funeral programme outlining national mourning arrangements and official tributes in the coming hours.
