Kenya mourns as political giant Raila Odinga dies at 80
Kenya is in mourning following the death of former Prime Minister and veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga. He was 80 years old.
Odinga passed away on Wednesday in a hospital in India after suffering a cardiac arrest. President William Ruto led the nation in tribute, declaring a seven-day period of mourning and honoring Odinga as a “beacon of courage” and the “father of our democracy.” He will be accorded a state funeral.
A towering, often controversial figure, Odinga was a defining force in Kenyan politics for decades. Despite five unsuccessful presidential bids, his influence was immense, earning him a near-fanatical following.
His legacy is deeply intertwined with Kenya’s democratic struggle. He was the nation’s longest-serving political detainee under the one-party state and later served as Prime Minister in a 2008 coalition government, which ended a deadly post-election crisis.
His death marks the end of an era and creates a significant void in Kenya’s political landscape as the country looks toward its next elections.
