KATHMANDU: Former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga has passed away at the age of 80, family sources confirmed. Odinga died on Wednesday while receiving medical treatment at a hospital in India.

Indian authorities told AFP that Odinga collapsed suddenly while walking with family and a personal doctor. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead. In recent weeks, there had been speculation about his health, although family and political allies dismissed reports that he was critically ill. Condolences have poured in from politicians and leaders worldwide, including Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

Odinga was a towering figure in Kenyan politics and ran unsuccessfully for the presidency five times. He contested the results each time, claiming his victories were stolen. His legal battles were highlighted in 2017, when Kenya’s Supreme Court annulled Uhuru Kenyatta’s victory, ordering fresh elections. Odinga, however, boycotted the rerun, calling for electoral reforms.

The 2007 disputed election, which Odinga claimed he lost to Mwai Kibaki, triggered Kenya’s worst political crisis, resulting in 1,200 deaths and forcing around 600,000 people to flee their homes. A power-sharing agreement, brokered by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, created a unity government, making Odinga prime minister.

Throughout his career, Odinga reconciled with incumbents after contentious elections. Following his 2022 defeat, he joined President William Ruto in a broad-based government, bringing many allies into key positions—a move he defended as necessary for national unity after violent nationwide protests.

Earlier this year, the Ruto administration supported Odinga’s bid to become chairperson of the African Union Commission, though he lost to Djibouti’s Mahmoud Ali Youssouf.

Odinga, from western Kenya, inspired a passionate and loyal following. Known affectionately as “Baba” (Father), “Agwambo” (Act of God), and “Tinga” (Tractor)—the latter referencing his party symbol in the 1997 elections—he was celebrated as a master strategist and mass mobiliser, capable of connecting deeply with ordinary citizens.

A staunch defender of democracy and human rights, Odinga was a former political prisoner and Kenya’s longest-serving detainee, imprisoned twice under Daniel arap Moi’s regime (1982–1988 and 1989–1991). His initial imprisonment in 1982 followed an attempted coup, which propelled him onto the national stage.

Odinga’s enduring legacy lies in his unwavering fight for democratic freedoms, his skill in uniting diverse communities, and his lifelong dedication to Kenya’s political transformation.