Former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga dies aged 80
Former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga has died aged 80, family sources have told the BBC.
Odinga died on Wednesday while receiving medical treatment at a hospital in India.
In recent weeks, speculation has swirled about his health, although family members and political allies have dismissed reports suggesting he was seriously ill.
A political mobilizer and prominent figure in Kenyan politics, Odinga ran unsuccessfully for the presidency five times. He rejected the results each time, often claiming that the victory had been stolen from him.
He was ruled in favor by Kenya’s highest court after the 2017 elections, when it overturned Uhuru Kenyatta’s victory and ordered new polls. However, he boycotted the new vote, demanding electoral reforms.
He has often reconciled with the outgoing president after controversial elections.
After his last defeat in 2022, he then joined President William Ruto in a so-called broad-based government, which brought several of his allies into key positions.
He defended the move as necessary for national unity, following decisive nationwide protests last year, which culminated in the storming of Parliament. Dozens of protesters were killed in clashes with security officers.
The Ruto administration supported Odinga’s candidacy for the presidency of the African Union Commission, during elections held earlier this year. Despite strong regional support, he lost to Djiboutian Mahmoud Ali Youssouf.
Odinga has inspired a passionate and loyal following throughout his political career, particularly in western Kenya, where he is from.
His supporters called him “Baba” (Father), “Agwambo” (Act of God) and “Tinga” (Tractor), after his party symbol during the 1997 elections.
He was widely regarded as a master strategist and mass mobilizer, often drawing huge crowds to his political rallies, and he had a profound ability to connect with ordinary people.
He will be remembered for his unwavering fight for democratic freedoms and human rights.
He was a former political prisoner and holds the record as Kenya’s longest-serving prisoner. His fight against one-party dictatorship saw him detained twice (from 1982 to 1988 and from 1989 to 1991) during the reign of Daniel arap Moi.
He was first imprisoned for attempting to stage a coup in 1982, which propelled him onto the national stage.
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