Giant of Kenyan politics, Raila Odinga, dies at 80 : NPR
Raila Odinga, the leader of the Kenyan opposition coalition Azimio la Umoja, in Nairobi on March 28, 2023.
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Former Kenyan Prime Minister and opposition leader Raila Odinga has died at the age of 80. Widely considered one of the country’s most influential political figures, Odinga shaped Kenya’s modern democracy during a career spanning more than four decades.
Devamatha Hospital in Kerala, India, confirmed his death after he suffered a cardiac arrest during a morning walk on Wednesday.
Odinga ran unsuccessfully for president five times, including in disputed 2007 elections that sparked widespread ethnic violence, leaving nearly 1,000 people dead.
In a live address to the nation, Kenyan President William Ruto declared seven days of national mourning. He paid tribute to Odinga, describing him as “the father of our democracy” and a “giant” of Kenyan politics.
“Raila Amolo Odinga was a once-in-a-generation leader, a man whose ideals transcended politics and whose legacy will continue to shape Kenya’s destiny,” Ruto said.
Although he never rose to the presidency, he helped dismantle Kenya’s one-party rule under Daniel arap Moi in 1992 and championed the progressive 2010 constitution, which ushered in far-reaching political reforms.
One Kenya Coalition Party presidential candidate Azimio La Umoja, Raila Odinga, leaves a polling station at Kibera Primary School after voting on August 9, 2022 in Nairobi, Kenya.
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In recent months, Odinga has made headlines for signing a political deal with President William Ruto, following weeks of youth-led anti-government protests that left hundreds dead. The move divided opinion in Kenya, but highlighted Odinga’s enduring role as a political broker.
Born in 1945, in western Kenya, Odinga had a passionate and loyal following across the country, from his native Kibera to Nairobi, one of Africa’s largest slums, where his support ran deep.
