Raila Odinga, the veteran Kenyan opposition leader who ran for president five times and shaped the country's political landscape, has died aged 80 in India. He was receiving treatment in the southern city of Kochi when he suffered a cardiac arrest during a morning walk, according to the Press Trust of India.
In a national address on Wednesday, President William Ruto described Odinga as 'a once-in-a-generation leader', 'a giant of democracy' and 'a tireless warrior of good governance'. Ruto declared seven days of national mourning and said Odinga would receive a state funeral.
Odinga's political career spanned decades. He became an MP in 1992 and his narrow loss to Mwai Kibaki in the disputed 2007 election triggered violence that killed about 1,300 people. He later served as prime minister in a unity government from 2008. In 1982, he was charged with treason over a coup attempt and detained without trial for six years.
His activism helped Kenya achieve multiparty democracy in 1991 and a new constitution in 2010. Known popularly as 'Baba' (father), he could mobilise huge crowds. Following news of his death, hundreds of supporters marched from Kibera to his home in Karen.
Tributes poured in from across Africa and beyond. Former President Uhuru Kenyatta called him 'a father to the nation', while African Union Commission chair Mahmoud Ali Youssouf praised his commitment to democracy. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described him as a 'towering statesman'.
