Raila Odinga, former Kenyan Prime Minister, died of cardiac arrest on Wednesday while receiving treatment in Kochi, India.
The 80-year-old collapsed during a morning walk at an Ayurvedic facility and was rushed to Devamatha Hospital in Koothattukulam, where he was declared dead at approximately 9:52 AM Indian time.
A prominent Kenyan politician, Odinga served as Prime Minister from 2008 to 2013. A member of the Luo tribe, he entered parliament in 1992 and ran unsuccessfully for president in 1997, 2007, 2013, 2017, and 2022, alleging electoral fraud in the last four elections.
The 2007 election, in particular, triggered widespread ethnic violence, resulting in over 1,100 deaths.
Odinga, the son of Kenya’s first vice president, was a towering opposition figure and former political prisoner. He claimed four elections were stolen from him, with the disputed 2007 and 2017 votes sparking deadly unrest.
His political base in western Kenya often felt marginalized by the government due to their opposition support.
Despite decades of rivalry, Odinga reconciled with President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2018 and William Ruto in 2023, moves that surprised many and helped stabilize Kenyan politics.
His platform focused on combating corruption, providing universal healthcare, free education, and a monthly stipend for the unemployed.
The Odinga and Kenyatta families have been central to Kenyan politics since independence from Britain in 1963. Though less wealthy than Kenyatta or Ruto, Odinga led a business empire with interests in energy companies.
Source : Africanews/myxyzonline
