Raila Odinga Dies; State Funeral Set

Raila Odinga, Kenya’s veteran opposition leader and former prime minister, died aged 80 in India after suffering a cardiac arrest while receiving medical treatment. President William Ruto declared national mourning and announced a state funeral; Odinga’s body was repatriated to Nairobi under tight security at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and will lie in state at Parliament. The government has set a four-day state funeral culminating in burial in his hometown of Bondo, with Friday, Oct. 17 declared a public holiday. A five-time presidential candidate and prime minister from 2008–2013, Odinga is credited with helping usher in multiparty politics, driving the 2010 constitution and advancing devolution. Colleagues and biographers recall his long resistance to authoritarianism, repeated imprisonments and ability to work with rivals, and many say his loss will reshape Kenya’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 elections. He was also famed for his close ties to India and received public condolences from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.