Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has mourned former Prime Minister Raila Odinga as the “father of Kenya’s democracy” and a “formidable hero of the country’s second liberation.”
Odinga, 80, died in India after suffering a heart attack while receiving treatment at the Koothattukulam Sreedhareeyam Ayurveda Hospital in Ernakulam. According to medical officials, he collapsed during a morning walk and was rushed to Devamatha Hospital in Koothattukulam, where he was pronounced dead. His body has since been preserved at the hospital as the family prepares an official statement.
In a statement, Gachagua said Raila’s contribution to Kenya’s political history would never be forgotten.
“Baba Raila Odinga, may you rest well. To the family — your spouse Mama Ida Odinga and your children — my family and I join you in prayer during this difficult moment. My deepest sympathies to you and to the people of the Republic of Kenya,” said Gachagua.
He hailed the veteran politician for his courage in standing up to oppressive regimes and enduring arrests, detentions, and torture in the fight for freedom and democracy.
“You faced the brutality of regimes — tortured, jailed, abducted, and detained severally for Kenya. When the history of Africa’s Pan-Africanism is written, your chapter as the indefatigable lion of Africa will attract many readers,” Gachagua said.
He added that Raila’s legacy extended beyond politics, noting his service as a civil servant, university lecturer, party leader, minister, and prime minister.
“You dedicated your life to the service of humanity in many fronts, and your trail of success and impact remains indelible,” he said.
Gachagua also praised Raila for his resilience and ability to build and sustain a strong political movement.
“Much as we have never been on the same political side, I have had a strong admiration of Raila Odinga’s art of forming and sustaining a strong political party that survived four general elections. You are a hero celebrated at home and away; you have not gone, Raila Odinga — you have just faded away,” Gachagua added.
Meanwhile, former President Uhuru Kenyatta paid a heartfelt tribute to Raila, describing him as a defining figure in his political journey and a true patriot who dedicated his life to Kenya’s unity and progress.
“My heart is heavy, and my spirit is burdened with a grief that is both profound and deeply personal. The news of Raila’s passing has left a silence that echoes across our nation, a silence where once there was a voice of thunder and conviction,” Uhuru said.
The former President said that although they had once been fierce political rivals, Raila became a vital partner in building national unity through the 2018 Handshake.
“That journey from fierce political opponents to partners in the pursuit of ‘Handshake’ unity taught me the true measure of the man. I saw firsthand his unwavering passion for this country, his deep-seated belief in justice, and his incredible capacity to think beyond personal ambition for the sake of national peace,” he said.
Uhuru described Raila as a man of conviction whose ideas inspired others to think critically.
“Baba, as we fondly referred to him, was a man who made you sharpen your own ideas, compelling you to defend your positions with rigor and passion. I have lost a friend and a brother,” Uhuru said.
He extended his condolences to Mama Ida Odinga and the family, saying, “You have shared Baba with Kenya for a lifetime, and we mourn with you. We have lost a father to the nation, a steadfast champion for the people, and a true son of Kenya.”
KANU Party leader Gideon Moi also paid tribute to the former Prime Minister, calling him “the most consequential political figure of modern Kenya.”
“What will forever define Hon. Odinga’s legacy was his untiring selflessness. He consistently placed the nation above self and all else. He made decisions not because they were popular or convenient, but because they were right,” Moi said.
He added that Raila’s firm belief in constitutionalism and the rule of law guided his decades-long political career.
Raila Odinga, who served as Kenya’s Prime Minister between 2008 and 2013 under the Grand Coalition Government, ran for the presidency five times — in 1997, 2007, 2013, 2017, and 2022 — and remained one of Kenya’s most influential and respected leaders until his death.
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