Overview

• Indian police said Odinga collapsed during a morning walk in Ernakulam and was declared dead at Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic Eye Hospital after efforts to revive him failed.
• An anonymized hospital spokesperson reported he suddenly experienced respiratory difficulties before losing consciousness.
• Odinga was a towering figure in Kenyan public life as a five-time presidential contender, prime minister from 2008 to 2013, and a key architect of the 2010 constitution after years of detention under Daniel arap Moi.
• He had recently moved from opposition standard-bearer to cooperation with President William Ruto, including a formal political agreement and participation in a broad-based government, and he unsuccessfully sought the African Union Commission post with Ruto’s backing.
• Tributes poured in from across the region, including Ethiopia’s Abiy Ahmed and Djibouti’s Ismail Omar Guelleh, while President Ruto announced a state funeral and seven days of national mourning as crowds gathered in Nairobi, Kisumu and Eldoret.