Ruth Odinga: Raila did not collapse, he felt a little tired and sat down

Raila Odinga’s younger sister Ruth Odinga has revealed that the former Prime Minister's final moments before his untimely death.

Ruth, who is also the Kisumu Woman Representative, said Raila was upbeat about returning home on Thursday.

She is among close family members who accompanied Raila to India for treatment.

Raila’s youngest daughter, Winnie Odinga, was also with him.

Photos shared from India earlier in the week showed him cheerful, dressed casually and in a relaxed mode.

Ruth said Raila was not in hospital on Wednesday but at a resort where he stayed with close relatives after his medical checkup.

She said Raila showed remarkable improvements and was even preparing to travel back home on Thursday.

 “We were not even at the hospital, we were just at a resort where we were staying ahead of our return on Thursday,” Ruth said on Wednesday evening.

“He was just okay, he was doing his normal walk and we were supposed to come back tomorrow (Thursday).”

According to her, the 80-year-old former prime minister was in good spirits during his morning walk.

 “He didn’t collapse,” she said.

 “He just said he was feeling a little tired and sat down. We thought it was just fatigue from the walk and then called for an ambulance.”

An ambulance was called and Raila was rushed to Devamatha Hospital in Kerala where he died as doctors tried to save his life.

The hospital said the opposition leader collapsed during a morning walk at around 8.30 am Indian time within the premises of the Ayurvedic wellness facility where he had been recuperating.

Medical staff on-site administered CPR immediately but was pronounced dead at 9.52 am.

Doctors said Raila was under treatment for diabetes, hypertension and chronic kidney disease.

A post-mortem examination is set to be conducted as part of routine medical and legal procedures.

According to Mathrubhumi.com, an Indian media outlet, Raila was at the Ayurvedic centre for rest and recovery following a mild stroke he suffered while in Kenya.

A spokesperson for the hospital confirmed that he had been receiving regular care and was in the company of his family at the time.

The same hospital had previously treated his daughter, Rosemary Odinga, who regained her sight there after losing it a few years ago.

Indian authorities said information regarding Raila’s death had been relayed to the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) for official processing in accordance with international protocol.

The loss has plunged the nation into mourning, with leaders and citizens alike remembering a man whose life embodied resilience, struggle, and hope.

The body of the former PM arrived in Kenya on Thursday. The plane carrying his body touched down at JKIA around 9:30 AM. 

Before his passing, Raila’s health had been the subject of public speculation.

His elder brother, Senator Oburu Odinga, had recently assured Kenyans that Raila was recuperating well in India and dismissed reports that he was in critical condition.

“I want to tell you that Raila is up and about. Just like any other human being, he was indisposed a little and is now recuperating and resting,” Oburu said last week.

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party had also denounced rumours surrounding his health, accusing political rivals of spreading falsehoods to undermine his standing.

Despite occasional hospital visits, including brain fluid drainage surgery in Dubai and minor back surgery years ago, Raila remained politically active, championing unity and governance reforms until his final days.

As tributes pour in from across the world, Raila Odinga is being remembered as a symbol of resistance, reform, and democracy, a man whose decades-long struggle reshaped Kenya’s political landscape and whose legacy will endure for generations.