Raila according to his family members had gotten better and they were in high spirit that Raila Amollo Odinga would go back to Kenya from India the following day.
However, God’s plans seemed great and he did not live to see the much anticipated day, to go home. He died in in India .
Ruth Odinga, while speaking to mourners at Raila’s homestead at Apudo Farm, on Saturday October 18, 2025, she recounted the heartbreaking moments she had to switch off Raila’s life-support machine in India
Ruth, who is also the Kisumu Woman Representative, told the people that Raila was positive about coming back home the next day having shown tremendous recovery during his stay at India.
“So for those who have shown their love right now, the reality would be this, but the loss is for Kenya. When I laid him down and I stopped the machines, I said, Kenya has lost you,”
“We were not even at the hospital; we were just at a resort where we were staying ahead of our return on Thursday,” she said. “He was just okay, he was doing his normal walk, and we were supposed to come back the following day.”
“During his morning walk, Raila only mentioned feeling slightly tired before sitting down to rest. He didn’t collapse. We thought it was just fatigue from the walk and then called for an ambulance.”
Raila was also in company of his youngest daughter Winnie Odinga when he died. Winnie, who spoke during her father’s State funeral at Nyayo Stadium, stated that she was with her father when he breathed last.
“I was with him in India when he took his last breath. He died in my arms, but he did not die as people have been saying on social media. “Every day he was waking up and walking one round, then two rounds the next day. That morning, he pushed to five rounds. He died strong and with dignity and pride.
Raila died at Devamatha Hospital in Kerala, India, where doctors battled to save his life. According to hospital officials, he was brought in after collapsing during his morning walk around 8:30 am Indian time.
According to Indian medics, they tried to resuscitate him through CPR and emergency intubation but there was no detectable pulse or blood pressure on him upon arrival. After extensive CPR, a brief heart rhythm was noted but soon faded.
Further reports indicated that IV fluids and a clot-dissolving injection were administered to address possible coronary blockage. Despite a two-hour resuscitation efforts, the doctors pronounced him dead at 9:52
Raila had a history of diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, and previous deep vein thrombosis.
