People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua has sent a message of condolence to Ida Odinga following the death of her husband and Kenya’s former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga.
Karua, who was Raila’s running mate in the 2022 General Election, said in a statement on Wednesday that she received the news of his passing with profound sadness.
Odinga, 80, died in India after suffering a heart attack while undergoing treatment at the Koothattukulam Sreedhareeyam Ayurveda Hospital in Ernakulam. According to medical officials, he collapsed during a morning walk and was pronounced dead at Devamatha Hospital in Koothattukulam. His body has since been preserved at the facility as the family prepares an official statement.
“Please accept my heartfelt condolences, and those of many who stand with you, your family, the people of Kenya, our continent of Africa, and indeed humanity at large,” Karua told Ida.
Karua described Raila’s political career as one that “towered like a colossus” across Kenya and the African continent. “His life was a testament to courage, endurance, and an unwavering commitment to the liberation and transformation of our nation,” she said.
She recalled his sacrifice and years in detention during the struggle for Kenya’s democracy, saying, “I will remember Raila as a fearless defender of the people, a voice for the voiceless, and a steadfast comrade in the fight for the second liberation.”
Meanwhile, Wiper Party leader and Kenya’s tenth Vice President Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka has also mourned the former Prime Minister, describing him as the “Champion of Kenya’s Second Political Liberation.”
Kalonzo said he received the devastating news shortly after arriving in London for a planned 10-day visit to the United Kingdom. “I have received the devastating news of the death of my dear brother, Rt Hon Raila Amolo Odinga, this morning upon my arrival at Heathrow International Airport. I am therefore rearranging my schedule of engagements in honour of my fallen brother,” he stated.
He praised Raila’s resilience and sacrifice, describing him as “a force of nature who kept going despite the hurdles before him.” Kalonzo said Raila was “the longest-suffering political detainee in Kenya,” whose courage and determination laid the foundation for democracy.
“At each point of release from the torture chambers, he would raise his arms to the heavens, fist clenched in determination that his tears and scars would yield to democracy and freedom for Kenya. That is why we call him the Champion of the Second Liberation,” he said.
Kalonzo also reflected on their partnership, including serving as Raila’s running mate in 2013 and 2017 and as partners in the Azimio la Umoja–One Kenya Coalition. “My brother Raila played an instrumental role in devolving power from an imperial presidency to a people-centred constitutional order. For that, we owe him immense gratitude,” he said.
He extended his condolences to Ida Odinga and the family, saying, “To Mama Ida, Rosemary, Raila Junior, and Winnie — my family and I stand in solidarity with you. We are praying for you.”
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua also paid tribute to Raila, calling him “the father of Kenya’s democracy” and “a formidable hero of the country’s second liberation.”
“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 also praised Raila’s lifelong dedication to public service, noting his roles as a lecturer, minister, party leader, and Prime Minister. “Much as we have never been on the same political side, I have had a strong admiration for Raila Odinga’s ability to form and sustain a strong political movement that survived four general elections. You are a hero celebrated at home and away,” he added.
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta mourned Raila as a defining figure in his political journey and a patriot who dedicated his life to Kenya’s unity and progress.
“My heart is heavy, and my spirit is burdened with grief. 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.
He recalled how the “Handshake” of 2018 turned them from rivals into partners for peace. “That journey taught me the true measure of the man. I saw firsthand his unwavering passion for this country and his incredible capacity to think beyond personal ambition for the sake of national peace,” he added.
Uhuru described Raila as “a man of conviction whose ideas inspired others to think critically,” saying, “Baba 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.”
He extended his condolences to Ida 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 described Raila as “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 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, saying, “Kenya has lost a statesman, a patriot, and a visionary leader whose imprint on our nation will never fade.”
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