Outstanding Kenyan opposition chief Raila Odinga, a former prime minister of the African nation, died of cardiac arrest in Kerala on Wednesday. Odinga had been in Kerala for Ayurvedic therapy at a facility in Koothattukulam within the state’s Ernakulam district.“He collapsed throughout a morning stroll throughout the premises of the Ayurvedic facility and was rushed to a personal hospital,” a spokesperson for the attention hospital instructed information company PTI.“The Ayurvedic facility had earlier helped his daughter regain her imaginative and prescient,” the spokesperson added.His physique stays on the non-public hospital, and authorities have knowledgeable the Foreigners Regional Registration Workplace (FRRO) to hold out crucial procedures as per protocol.Who was Raila Odinga?Born on January 7, 1945, Odinga was a pro-democracy campaigner who spent eight years in jail. A member of the Luo tribe, he entered Kenyan parliament in 1992 and contested the presidency 5 occasions—in 1997, 2007, 2013, 2017, and 2022—claiming to have been “cheated of victory” within the final 4 elections. A lifelong fan of Arsenal Soccer Membership, he grew to become Kenya’s prime minister in February 2008 by a power-sharing deal aimed toward ending the violence that erupted after the 2007 presidential election, during which he was the defeated candidate. The put up of prime minister was abolished underneath a brand new Structure in 2010.Condolences pour in“Deeply saddened by the passing of my pricey good friend and former Prime Minister of Kenya, Mr. Raila Odinga. He was a towering statesman and a cherished good friend of India. I had the privilege of understanding him intently since my days as Chief Minister of Gujarat and our affiliation continued through the years. He had a particular affection for India, our tradition, values and historic knowledge. This was mirrored in his efforts to strengthen India-Kenya ties. He significantly admired Ayurveda and conventional drugs methods of India, having witnessed their constructive impression on his daughter’s well being. I prolong my deepest condolences to his household, buddies and to the folks of Kenya on this hour of grief,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X.Kenya’s former chief justice, and present presidential candidate, David Maraga, stated he was “shocked” by information of the demise. Odinga was “a patriot, a pan-Africanist, a democrat and a frontrunner who made vital contributions to democracy in Kenya and in Africa,” Maraga posted on social media. “Kenya has misplaced one in all its most formidable leaders who formed the trajectory of our beloved nation. Africa has misplaced a number one voice in pushing for peace, safety and improvement. The world has misplaced an incredible chief,” he added.Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was among the many first to react, posting on X: “On behalf of the Authorities of Ethiopia, I prolong my honest condolences on the passing of former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Could he Relaxation In Peace.”