He died in India, aged 80, after collapsing during his morning walk

 “Baba Has Gone Home”: The Long Goodbye of Raila Odinga

Nairobi, October 15, 2025 – Kenya is crying and arguing at the same time — as only Kenya can — after the passing of Raila Amolo Odinga, the man everyone simply called Baba.

The hospital in Kochi said it was cardiac arrest, but to his supporters, it was heartbreak — “Baba carried Kenya’s weight too long,” one woman told reporters in Kisumu.

President William Ruto led tributes, calling him “a beacon of courage and father of our democracy.” The irony wasn’t lost on Kenyans: only a few years ago, Ruto and Raila were at each other’s throats. But that was Raila — the man who could fight you fiercely in the morning and share tea with you by evening if it meant peace for the country.

His body is on its way home, escorted by his widow Ida Odinga and Foreign Affairs Minister Musalia Mudavadi. Nairobi will host the state funeral on Friday, complete with military honours — an official recognition for a man who was once jailed as an enemy of the state.

From Kochi to Kisumu, crowds have gathered holding photos, candles, and party flags. Western Kenya, especially, has gone quiet except for songs and ululations. “He was our Moses,” one supporter said.

A Life Larger Than Politics

Raila’s life was Kenya’s mirror — passionate, noisy, and full of unfinished arguments.

He lost five presidential elections, but each loss somehow increased his moral capital.

In politics, he was the man who almost won everything, but in history, he might have won more than anyone else.

He lived through coups, detentions, betrayals, and handshakes — and somehow kept walking.

His handshake with Uhuru Kenyatta in 2018 ended months of street battles and gave Kenya one of its most surprising political peace deals.

His alliance with Ruto later shocked everyone again. “If you can’t beat them,” he used to joke, “teach them how to think.”

For younger Kenyans, he was a legend their parents fought over and their grandparents swore by.

For the poor and the marginalised, he was hope in human form — a man who spoke their language and never forgot his roots in Bondo.

Behind the Scenes

Raila was also rumoured to have a temper, a weakness for loyal friends, and an old-school charm that made him irresistible on the campaign trail.

He could move from quoting Gramsci to laughing about football in the same breath.

People close to him say that in his later years, he mellowed — less fiery, more philosophical.

He loved discussing Africa’s future and dreamed of leading the African Union Commission, but fate, as always, had other plans.

His widow Ida has remained his calm centre through decades of prison visits, political storms, and endless campaigns.

In private, she once said: “Raila was married to Kenya first, and to me second.”

The Last March

Kenya has declared a seven-day mourning period.

His funeral will be a national spectacle — not just because of protocol, but because of emotion.

From Nyayo Stadium to Kisumu, crowds will line the roads as “Baba” makes his final journey home to Bondo, the place where his father, Jaramogi Odinga, once broke with Jomo Kenyatta and began Kenya’s long story of opposition.

Social media is full of old campaign songs, memes, and jokes — because in Kenya, even grief wears a smile.

One post read: “Baba didn’t die. He just went ahead to negotiate with the ancestors.”

For half a century, Raila Odinga chased democracy, freedom, and that elusive presidency.

He never truly caught it — but perhaps that’s what kept Kenya’s hope alive