Former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga flew to India on October 3 after suffering a mild stroke while in Kenya.
He went there to rest and receive treatment at an Ayurvedic wellness centre in Kerala, India. The hospital was a familiar place for the Odinga family. It is the same one where his daughter, Rosemary Odinga, regained her sight after a few years of being blind.
Doctors said Raila was being treated for diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease. He had been responding well to treatment and was under close medical supervision.
What Happened on the Day Raila Odinga Died?
On the morning of Wednesday, October 16, tragedy struck. Around 8:30 a.m. Indian time, Raila collapsed during his morning walk.
Ruth Odinga said Raila was not in the hospital on Wednesday but at a resort with his family after his medical checkup.
She said he had greatly improved and was upbeat while preparing to return home the next day.
“We were just at the resort waiting to come back home,” Ruth said. “He was fine and even took his usual morning walk. We were supposed to travel the next day.”
“He did not collapse,” she said.
“He only said he felt a bit tired and sat down. We thought it was just normal fatigue from the walk, then we called for an ambulance.”
Medical staff at the centre rushed to help him and performed CPR before taking him to Devamatha Hospital in Koothattukulam.
Despite their best efforts, doctors pronounced him dead at 9:52 a.m. Indian time. The hospital confirmed that Raila Odinga died of cardiac arrest.
Before his death, there had been growing speculation in Kenya about his health.
His brother, Senator Oburu Odinga, recently told Kenyans that Raila was recovering well and “up and about.” The ODM party also dismissed rumours about his condition, accusing rivals of spreading lies.
Raila’s body was flown back to Kenya on Thursday morning. The plane carrying the body of Raila Odinga landed at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport around 9:30 a.m.
According to the family, it was Odinga’s wish to be laid to rest within the shortest time possible, ideally within 72 hours.
The 80-year-old leader had faced health challenges before, including a brain fluid drainage surgery in Dubai and a minor back operation. Still, he remained active in politics.
Raila Odinga, who ran for president five times: in 1997, 2007, 2013, 2017, and 2022.
He is being remembered around the world as a reformist, a symbol of democracy, and a man whose struggle shaped Kenya’s political history.
By Vivian K.