Kenya President announces 7-day national mourning for Raila Odinga who died at 80

Kenyan President William Ruto announced seven days of national mourning and a state funeral for opposition leader Raila Odinga, who died on Wednesday.

Ruto described him as “Kenya’s foremost statesman and one of Africa’s greatest sons… a giant of democracy, a fearless freedom fighter, and a tireless warrior of good governance.”

Ruto said he would postpone all his public engagements in the coming days “as a mark of respect.”

Odinga, who ran five times for the presidency and had a profound influence on the country’s politics,  died aged 80 in India.

Odinga was in the southern city of Kochi for treatment. The Press Trust of India news agency reported that he suffered a cardiac arrest during a morning walk.

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In 1982, Odinga, a son of Kenya’s first vice-president, Oginga Odinga, was charged with treason in connection with a coup against the then president, Daniel arap Moi, and detained without trial for six years.

An ardent political activist, he was arrested many times during Moi’s administration for fighting against his one-party rule.

His fight for democracy helped the country achieve two milestone political reforms: changing to a multiparty democracy in 1991, and enacting a new constitution in 2010.

AFP