Kenya mourns the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga

Kenya is in mourning following the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, a towering figure in the country’s political landscape who ran for the presidency five times over three decades. Odinga died on Wednesday in India after suffering a heart attack, marking the end of an era in Kenyan politics.

President William Ruto led tributes, calling Odinga “a giant of democracy” and declaring seven days of national mourning, during which flags will fly at half-mast across the country.

“We have lost a beacon of courage, a tower of principle, and a father of our democracy,” President Ruto said. “Let us come together, as he always urged us to do, not as rivals, but as brothers and sisters bound by a shared destiny.”

Though he never won the presidency, Odinga was widely respected for his role in shaping Kenya’s multiparty democracy. His legacy includes a lifetime of political activism, opposition leadership, and service as Prime Minister from 2008 to 2013, following a power-sharing agreement after a disputed election.

Ruto praised Odinga’s unwavering commitment to national unity and democratic ideals.

“In a political career spanning decades, Raila Amolo Odinga offered a compelling model of principled politics,” Ruto said. “At a critical moment in our nation's journey, he always put Kenya first, before individual or personal interest. May his soul rest in eternal peace.”

Odinga's death comes just months after he struck a political pact with President Ruto, bringing his party into government in a rare show of unity.