Kenya was thrown into mourning on Wednesday following the sudden death of the country’s former Prime Minister and long-time opposition leader, Raila Amolo Odinga, who passed away at the age of 80 while undergoing medical treatment in southern India.
Truth Live News gathered that Odinga, fondly known across Africa as “Baba,” was at an Ayurveda wellness center in Kerala when he collapsed early Wednesday morning while taking a walk. He was swiftly rushed to the nearby Devamatha Medical Center in Koothattukulam, where doctors pronounced him dead at 9:52 a.m. local time after suffering a fatal heart attack.
Hospital authorities have confirmed that his remains are being preserved in cold storage pending arrangements for repatriation to Kenya.
Odinga had traveled to India accompanied by his daughter, Rosemary Odinga, who was receiving specialized herbal eye therapy at the Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic Eye Hospital, a facility that previously helped restore her eyesight through traditional medicine.
Local Indian officials have reportedly informed the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) to begin the standard procedures for the return of his body to Nairobi in accordance with international protocols.
A revered statesman, Raila Odinga was not only a towering figure in Kenyan politics but also a symbol of democratic struggle across Africa. His decades-long career spanned activism, imprisonment, and multiple presidential contests that shaped Kenya’s modern political history.