A dark theme covered the Kenyan newspapers on Thursday, October 16, a day after the unexpected death of Kenya’s veteran politician, political expert, Raila Odinga.
Source: UGC
Raila’s remains were fetched from India by a high-level delegation dispatched by the President William Ruto.
1. Daily Nation
The newspaper reported on the shock that Kenyans are still struggling with following the death of ODM leader and Kenya’s second prime minister, Raila Odinga.
What is more surprising is how the news came later, long after the leader died.
He is now to be buried within 72 hours, according to his special wishes.
The Nairobi Palace is handling the funeral activities in collaboration with the bereaved family.
Raila’s last wishes were revealed by his lawyer in a meeting held at the State House on Wednesday morning, October, after the death was confirmed. The meeting was attended by Raila’s brother, Senator Oburu Oginga.
However, the challenge was how to fulfill the 72-hour requirement, given that Raila died abroad and the process of bringing them home could affect other plans.
But after his first meeting, the state funeral committee, headed by the Deputy President Kithur Kindikiit was agreed that time would start counting after the body was brought to the country.
The body is expected to be buried at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Thursday morning, around 9:15 am, October 16.
According to insiders, it was Senator Oginga who called President William Ruto at seven in the morning on Wednesday to inform him that his younger brother was in a serious condition in a hospital in Mumbai.
“He said Raila has been rushed to the hospital,” the newspaper quoted the source as saying.
A few minutes later, another call came in. This time, it came from Raila’s daughter, Winnie Odingawho called the president directly, informing the head of state that the ODM leader had died.
“He spoke briefly, his voice trembling. He confirmed that something very bad had happened,” sources added.
Raila, 80, died at Devamatha Hospital in Koothattukulam, Ernakulam district, India, after suffering a heart attack while taking a morning walk, according to police and hospital officials.
He suffered a heart attack during his walk. He was rushed to the station in South India.
Doctors confirmed that Raila was diabetic and had chronic kidney problems.
Despite the news being leaked to the public, the president withheld the news, visited the bereaved family in Karen, and later announced it in an official announcement.
2. Nation Today
The newspaper highlighted how the country fell into mourning following the death of Raila Odinga.
The sad news caused mourning across the country, with his followers crying and singing songs of mourning.
It caused panic as thousands of Kenyans took to the streets on motorbikes, cars and on foot, carrying tree branches and honking their horns in mourning and singing in the counties of Nairobi, Kisumu, Siaya, Homa Bay, Migori, Kakamega and Kisii and Machakos.
In Siaya county, at the home of the deceased, young people blocked the Bondo-Kisumu road singing and crying, saying in the Dholuo language: “Ng’ou olwar jokama”, meaning “The big tree has fallen.”
Elders from the Sakwa community gathered at Raila’s house in Opoda, Bondo, crying in public, while others surrounded his house with traditional cries.
“This pain is very intense. Why has death come at this time to take our brave son? This was our king and the hero of this region,” said John Odira, an elder from Sakwa.
In Kisumu city, most businesses were closed at 4:30 am.
Residents poured into the streets carrying Kenyan flags, tree branches and handkerchiefs, while mourners sang sad songs.
“We as a nation are at a crossroads. We are worried if the freedom and rights he fought for will continue,” said John Otieno, one of the mourners.
Rosemary Adhiambo, who was crying in pain, said:
“Kenyan politics is incomprehensible without Raila. There is no one to fill his place now.”
The Council of Elders of the Jaluo Community, led by Ker Odungi Randa, called on the four governors of Nyanza – James Orengo (Siaya), Professor Anyang’ Nyong’o (Kisumu), Gladys Wanga (Homa Bay) and Ochilo Ayacko (Migori) to lead the community peacefully at this difficult time.
“Today I felt the same pain. When Jaramogi died I did not cry, but today when Raila died I cried,” Ker Randa said.
In Homa Bay, thousands of citizens held a Tero Buru parade, leading cattle in front of them as a sign of respect for the deceased.
Others carried axes, spears and arrows, traditional symbols of protection against disasters.
The Speaker of the Homa Bay County Assembly, Polycarp Okombo, led members and leaders to suspend their official sessions in honor of the deceased.
In Kisii, students of Kisii National Polytechnic University came out of their exam rooms and took to the streets to mourn the death of Raila.
Carrying palm branches, they marched through the city hailing him as the “Father of the Nation.”
“His death is a big blow to the nation. We will miss him a lot,” said Helen Nyamweya, a girl from Kisii.
In western Kenya, some leaders stopped their activities in honor of the deceased.
In Nairobi, residents arrived at Raila’s compound in Karen and marched on the streets to mourn. Cries were heard in the center of the city as some businesses closed in fear.
With cries of grief, residents of Kibera, known as Raila’s ‘bedroom’, entered Ngong road, and some walked to Karen to confirm the news of his death, complaining that they were not informed about his health earlier.
Source: UGC
3. People Daily
This newspaper saved space for Raila Odinga’s last rites.
President William Ruto announced seven days of national mourning for Raila.
Addressing the nation from the Nairobi State House, accompanied by his late brother, Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, and other senior government officials, Ruto said the nation will give Raila a national funeral with full military honours.
“It is with great sadness and regret that I am informing Kenya, Africa and the whole world about the passing of Mr. Raila Amolo Odinga. Kenya, Africa and the world have lost a pillar of democracy, a champion of freedom and a tireless defender of good governance,” Ruto said in his direct speech.
In the announcement, the president ordered the national flag to be flown at half-mast in all government buildings, military bases and Kenyan embassies around the world from Wednesday until the evening of the funeral.
Senior government leaders including the president, vice president and all ministers have also been ordered not to use the national flag on their official vehicles during this period of mourning.
“In honor of Raila Odinga, I have suspended all my public activities for the coming months to join the nation in this period of mourning and reflection,” said the president.
Ruto also announced the formation of a national funeral committee to be jointly chaired by Deputy President Kindiki and Senator Oburu Oginga.
The committee will coordinate all arrangements for the national funeral.
The government has also sent an official message to India to manage the recovery of the body of the deceased.
The delegation is led by the Prime Minister, Musalia Mudavadi, and includes Mama Ida Odinga, as well as Cabinet Ministers Dating Murkomen (Internal Security) and Hassan Joho (Mining), among others.
It is expected to arrive at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi at 9 am, Thursday, October 16.
4. The Standard
The Standard newspaper published a page honoring the late Raila Odinga, recognizing him for “educating the nation”, listing his contribution to the education sector.
The newspaper noted that Raila’s journey has long been linked to education, influenced by family and personal experiences.
His father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, started as a teacher in Maseno; his mother, Mary Juma Odinga, taught in primary school; and his wife, Ida Odinga, spent her early career teaching English and Literature.
In 1988, while Raila was in exile, Ida was expelled from the Kenya High School and evicted from a workers’ residence under police supervision, a time which underscored the political cost of their crimes.
Although Raila’s initial relationship with education was personal, he later became an advocate for reform and access.
For decades, he pushed for free college education, decentralized school administration, and more transparency in funding.
His first major institutional effort came in 2006 with the launch of the Raila Odinga Foundation, followed by a KSh 300 million scholarship and mentoring program in 2012 aimed at supporting talented students from underserved communities.
In 2016, he opened the Raila Education Center in Kibra, a facility with classrooms, laboratories and digital learning spaces to empower youth in informal settlements.
Beyond infrastructure, Raila’s public stance on education policy has sparked a national debate. When the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) faced backlash in 2017, he defended it, saying it better prepared students for modern careers.
He also supported then Education Minister George Magoha in 2021, saying the CBC will move Kenya away from rote learning.
Raila’s vision for free education reflected President Mwai Kibaki’s 2003 initiative for free primary education. During his 2022 presidential bid, Raila promised to make education free and compulsory from primary school to university, funded through budget reforms and anti-corruption efforts.
“No parent should have to sell land to send a child to college,” The Standard quoted him as saying repeatedly, although critics questioned the viability of his promise.
His most controversial proposal came in 2025 at the Devolution Conference, where he called for counties to manage elementary and high schools.
The idea drew sharp criticism from teachers’ unions and education experts, who feared it would introduce national standards. Raila had implemented a similar plan in 2020, which also faced opposition.
Even after losing the 2022 election, Raila continued to talk about education issues.
In early 2024, he accused the Ruto administration of defunding schools, warning that public schools were in trouble. By 2025, he was still sounding the alarm, claiming schools were “starving” and that the promise of free education was about to collapse.
Raila will be buried at his home on Sunday, October 19.
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