President William Ruto has confirmed that the government has dispatched a high-level delegation to India to oversee the repatriation of the late former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga’s body.
The veteran opposition leader passed away while receiving treatment at a medical facility in Kerala, India. His death marks the end of an era for a man whose political career shaped Kenya’s democracy for decades.
Speaking from State House, Nairobi, on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, President Ruto described Raila as one of Kenya’s most influential figures whose legacy will be remembered for generations. He announced that the country will observe seven days of national mourning and that Raila will be accorded a state funeral.
“It is with deep sorrow that I inform the nation of the passing on of the Right Honourable Raila Amolo Odinga, our former Prime Minister, Kenya’s foremost statesman, and one of Africa’s greatest sons,” said President Ruto.
He praised Raila for his lifelong fight for democracy, justice, and good governance, saying his name “will forever be etched in the story of our republic.”
The President also directed that the national flag be flown at half-mast across the country and in all Kenyan missions abroad during the mourning period.
Ruto further revealed that the government had dispatched a delegation to India to coordinate the repatriation of Raila’s remains.
The delegation is led by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and includes senior government officials and members of Raila’s family. They are tasked with ensuring all logistical and diplomatic arrangements are completed before the body is flown back home for state burial preparations.
“At the request of the Government of Kenya, the Government of India has offered to facilitate the repatriation of the remains of Raila,” President Ruto stated.
Raila Odinga’s death has plunged the nation and the continent into mourning, as tributes continue to pour in from across the world.
