Kenyan opposition figure dies at 80
Former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga has died at the age of 80, family sources tell the BBC.
Odinga died while receiving treatment at a hospital in India on Wednesday.
There had been speculation about his health in recent weeks, but family members and political allies had denied reports suggesting he was in critical condition. Politicians and other leaders, including Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, expressed their condolences.
A political mobilizer and rising figure in Kenyan politics, Odinga ran unsuccessfully for the presidency five times. Each time he denied the results and often said the victory had been stolen from him.
Kenya’s highest court, which annulled Uhuru Kenyatta’s victory and ordered new polls after the 2017 elections, vindicated itself. However, he boycotted the rerun, demanding electoral reforms.
The disputed 2007 election, in which Odinga claimed he was cheated by Mwai Kibaki, led to the biggest crisis in Kenyan history.
Violence broke out across the country, resulting in 1,200 deaths and nearly 600,000 people forced to flee their homes.
To resolve the crisis, a power-sharing agreement brokered by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan led to the formation of a unity government with Odinga as prime minister.
He frequently made peace with the incumbent president after disputed elections.
After his final defeat in 2022, he joined President William Ruto in the so-called broad-based government, which put several of his allies in key positions.
He argued that the move, which came after nationwide protests last year, was necessary for national unity. resulted in the storming of parliament. Dozens of protesters were killed in clashes with security officials.
The Ruto administration supported Odinga’s bid to run for the presidency of the African Union Commission in the elections held earlier this year. Despite strong regional support, he lost to Djibouti’s Mahmud Ali Youssouf.
Odinga has inspired a passionate and loyal following throughout his political career, especially in Western Kenya where he hails from.
His supporters called him “Baba” (Father), “Agwambo” (Law of God) and “Tinga” (Tractor), after his party’s symbol during the 1997 elections.
He was widely regarded as a master strategist and mass mobilizer; He often drew large crowds to his political rallies and had a profound ability to connect with ordinary people.
He will be remembered for his unwavering fight for democratic freedoms and human rights.
He was a former political prisoner and holds the record for being Kenya’s longest-serving prisoner. His fight against the one-party dictatorship led to him being detained twice (from 1982 to 1988 and from 1989 to 1991) during the rule of Daniel arap Moi.
He was first imprisoned for attempting a coup in 1982, which propelled him onto the national stage.
