Doctors at Devamatha Hospital in Koothattukulam, India, have recounted the final moments of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who died on Wednesday morning, October 15, 2025, after suffering a cardiac arrest.
Cardiologist Dr. Sr. Alphons, who was among the medical team attending to Odinga, said they made every possible effort to resuscitate him but were ultimately unsuccessful.
“In spite of our continued cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and other measures, we could not make him survive,” she said in an interview with ANI News, South Asia’s leading multimedia news agency.
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“We are very sorry to inform you that he is no more with us, and our very sincere condolences and prayers for his family and for the Kenyan people,” she added.
According to hospital reports, the 80-year-old opposition leader suffered cardiac failure around 8:00 a.m. during his morning walk at the Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic Eye Hospital and Research Centre, where he had been receiving treatment for the past five days.
He was rushed to Devamatha Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 9:52 a.m.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) — the emergency life-saving procedure combining chest compressions and rescue breaths — was performed for several minutes, but the medical team could not restore his heartbeat.
A 30-member delegation from Kenya, led by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, was scheduled to depart for India later Wednesday to oversee the repatriation of Odinga’s remains.
Other members of the delegation include Mama Ida Odinga, Cabinet Secretaries Kipchumba Murkomen (Interior) and Hassan Joho (Mining), National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, Minority Leader Junet Mohamed, and family representatives Jaoko Oburu Odinga and Kevin Opiyo Oginga, among others.
President William Ruto announced that the Government of India had offered to facilitate the repatriation process following Kenya’s formal request.
“The government of India, at the request of the government of Kenya, has offered to facilitate the repatriation of the remains of our former prime minister,” Ruto said in a national address.
According to the funeral program, Odinga’s body will arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Thursday at 8:30 a.m., where it will be received by President Ruto and senior government officials before being taken to Lee Funeral Home.
At 11:00 a.m., the body will be moved to Parliament Buildings for public viewing until 5:00 p.m. A national prayer service will then be held on Friday at Nyayo National Stadium, followed by a burial ceremony on Sunday at his Kango Ka Jaramogi home in Bondo, Siaya County.
Preparations are ongoing across the four funeral committees — Karen, Opoda, Kisumu, and Nairobi — which have been tasked with coordinating the burial logistics of one of Kenya’s most iconic political figures.