Gone, but never forgotten. He was called “Baba” by the people, a freedom fighter, a reformist, a voice of the voiceless, and for decades, the heartbeat of Kenya’s political struggle.
On October 15th, 2025, the nation fell silent as heartbreaking news spread across the country: Raila Amolo Odinga was no more. At the age of 80, Raila passed away in Kochi, India, where he had been undergoing treatment for long-standing health issues diabetes, hypertension, and kidney disease. On that fateful morning, during a routine walk at the Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic Hospital, he suddenly collapsed. He was rushed to Devamatha Hospital, but doctors were unable to revive him. A cardiac arrest had claimed Kenya’s greatest opposition leader. The lion had fallen, yet his roar still echoed across continents.
Back home, grief erupted like wildfire. Thousands gathered at his Karen residence in Nairobi singing, praying, and mourning their leader. In Parliament, debate was suspended as lawmakers from all sides stood in solemn tribute. Even Raila’s political opponents acknowledged the magnitude of his legacy. President William Ruto declared a national mourning period of seven days. Flags were flown at half-mast across the country. For the first time in Kenyan history, a state funeral was announced for a former opposition leader a testament to Baba’s unique place in the hearts of Kenyans.
On October 16th, Raila’s body arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. The plan was a dignified military reception. But the People’s General was not coming home quietly. Tens of thousands of mourners stormed the airport grounds climbing fences, waving twigs, some even riding motorbikes onto the runway. The planned ceremony was overtaken by raw emotion and unstoppable crowds. Despite the chaos, the body was placed in a military vehicle and was planned to be driven in a solemn procession to Lee Funeral Home, with thousands lining the route candles in hand, songs in the air, and tears on their faces.
Initially, the body was to lie in state at Parliament Buildings from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. for public viewing. But by morning, masses had already flooded the surrounding. Emotions turned tense as mourners pushed through barricades and clashed with police. It took the intervention of key ODM leaders to calm the situation. MPs Babu Owino, Tim Wanyonyi, Ledama ole Kina, and ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, who had been part of the delegation that traveled to India, stepped in to address the emotional crowd.
Despite their frustration over the razor wire barriers set up by police around the Parliament building, the supporters insisted they had come in peace to pay their final respects. The ODM leaders appealed for calm and helped restore order, allowing the mourning process to continue with dignity and respect.
The sheer volume of people made it impossible to proceed. The venue was immediately shifted to a larger space Kasarani International Sports Centre. By early afternoon, Kasarani had reached capacity. Sweltering heat, overcrowding, and desperation to see Baba one last time led to chaos. Some fainted under the sun, others scaled the stadium walls. Then came panic. Gunshots rang out possibly from security personnel trying to disperse the crowd. In the stampede that followed, two lives were tragically lost: a young woman from Kibra and an elderly man who had travelled all the way from Bondo. But even in the face of disorder, the spirit of unity was visible. Raila had united generations and in grief, generations came to mourn.
From Nairobi, the body was taken to Kisumu, and finally to Bondo his ancestral home. Along the route, towns came to a standstill. Businesses closed. Markets fell silent. Churches opened their doors. People waved flags, carried placards, and lit candles. His compound in Bondo became a place of pilgrimage. Many mourners came barefoot. Others walked for days just to touch the soil of a man they called their president. Though he had departed, his dream lived on in every Kenyan who dared to imagine a freer, fairer nation.
The death of Raila Odinga also rekindled memories of another fallen hero: Senator Gerald Otieno Kajwang’ the firebrand from Homa Bay. Kajwang’ was a man of song, resistance, and undying loyalty to Raila. When Baba was away, Kajwang’ sang to comfort the nation. At one unforgettable rally, he led the crowd in chanting: “Baba while you were away, kila mahali bomba, bomba, bomba! Baba while you were away, kila mahali ni fire!” His words became a meme, a rallying cry, a resistance anthem. Kajwang’ was also known for his iconic protest chant, “Mapambanooooo… Mapambano bado yanaendelea!” (“The struggle continues!”) Now, both Kajwang’ and Raila are gone two of ODM’s strongest pillars, fallen. Kenya mourns not just leaders, but the soul of a generation that dared to dream, dared to fight, and never backed down.
On Thursday, after the public viewing venue was changed to Kasarani Stadium due to overwhelming crowds, thousands of Kenyans gathered to pay their final respects to Raila Odinga. The following day, Friday, October 17, 2025 was declared a public holiday a state funeral service was held at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi starting at 8:00 a.m . As leaders from across the political spectrum gathered to pay tribute to a man who shaped Kenya’s destiny Raila Amolo Odinga. At the State Funeral Prayer Day, President William Ruto and former President Uhuru Kenyatta stood side by side, setting aside years of political rivalry to honour a statesman whose legacy transcended party lines. In a moment that moved the nation, President Ruto paused his prepared speech, and with the soft strain of memory in his voice, began to sing “Jamaica Farewell” Raila’s favourite song. The crowd, thousands strong, joined him — united not by politics, but by shared grief and reverence.
Then came the voices of his family those who knew him not as a symbol, but as a father. Rosemary Odinga spoke of a man of wisdom and deep conviction. Raila Junior remembered a mentor, steady and humble, who guided them through life’s storms with quiet strength. But it was Winny Odinga who delivered the most intimate portrait. She spoke not from a podium, but from the heart recalling her time by his side in India, where she stayed with him until his final breath. Through tears and courage, she explained the names by which the nation had come to know him. ‘Baba’ the father of the people. ‘Agwambo’ the mysterious one. ‘Tinga’ the tractor that could not be stopped. ‘Jakom’ the chairman. ‘RAO’ the initials that became a movement. ‘The People’s President’ a title embraced after a contested election. And ‘Nyundo’ — the hammer, a quiet force that reshaped Kenyan politics.
In her words, the private man and the public legend became one. This was not just the farewell of a family. It was the farewell of a nation to a man who, for many, was more than a leader. He was their hope. Their voice. Their Baba.
On the other hand, Raila’s wife, Ida Odinga, remembered him as a loving husband and a gentle soul whose strength often spoke through silence, while his brother, Oburu Odinga, recalled him as a fearless leader a man driven by justice, molded by struggle, and unwavering in his dream of a united Kenya.
. On Saturday, October 18, the body departed early morning for Kisumu, where it lay in state for public viewing at Jomo Kenyatta Stadium in Mamboleo from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., before being transported to Bondo, Siaya County, for an overnight stay at his home. Finally, on Sunday, October 19, 2025, a funeral service was held at 9:00 a.m., and Raila Odinga was laid to rest at his ancestral home in Opoda Farm, Bondo.
But mourning must also give rise to memory. Over the next six months, a tribute series will honour those whose political journeys were shaped by Raila Odinga the mentor, kingmaker, and father figure of modern Kenyan politics. Each week, a new story will emerge: profiles of leaders who rose through Baba’s hand those who carry his legacy forward. These stories will feature archival footage, campaign trail moments, interviews, and untold truths. Among them: Hassan Joho, who rose to prominence under Raila’s wing in the Coastal region; Charity Ngilu, a loyal reformist; Babu Owino, the face of a youth-led movement within ODM; Anyang’ Nyong’o, an ODM ideologue and policy mind; Millie Odhiambo, a fiery defender of people’s rights; James Orengo, a fellow detainee and legal strategist; and Junet Mohamed, Raila’s trusted right-hand man in his final years. Each of them carries a piece of his legacy and by telling their stories, we ensure that Baba’s vision lives on.
Born in 1945, the son of Kenya’s first Vice President, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Raila was born into political resistance. He was detained without trial, tortured for his beliefs, exiled, betrayed but never silenced. He walked with the people, led protests, championed democracy, and transformed opposition politics into a national force. No title ever seemed too great for him except one: The People’s General.
Raila Amolo Odinga. A fighter. A father. A force of history.
Rest in Power, Baba.
