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Supporters of Kenya’s opposition leader and former prime minister, Raila Odinga, hold a banner as mourners line up to view his coffin upon the arrival of his funeral proceedings to his home region in Kisumu, on Saturday.
- Tributes poured in for former Kenyan prime minister Raila Odinga, who has been hailed as a champion of justice, democracy, and African unity.
- Odinga stood fearlessly against oppression and advancing freedom across Africa, the ANC said.
- Odinga’s legacy includes multiparty democracy, a new constitution, and unwavering Pan-African ideals.
As tributes continue to stream in for the late former Kenyan prime minister, Raila Odinga, who will be laid to rest in a private ceremony on Sunday, the ANC hailed the statesman as a dedicated champion of freedom and equality.
ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri expressed the party’s condolences to the Kenyan government, the Odinga family, and his party, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
In her tribute, Bheng-Motsiri stated: “His burial marks not only the farewell of a statesman, but also the celebration of life that advanced the cause of justice, democracy, and African unity.”
On Wednesday, Reuters reported that Odinga died at the age of 80 after serving as president between 2008 and 2013.
Indian newspaper Mathrubhumi reported that Odinga, who was undergoing treatment in the southern Indian city of Kochi, suffered a cardiac arrest on Wednesday and was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
READ | Former Kenya prime minister Raila Odinga dead at 80 years old
The former prime minister, as opposition leader, had waged five unsuccessful presidential campaigns between 1997 and 2022.
His work as a democracy activist over the years helped seal two of the country’s most important reforms: Multiparty democracy in 1991 and a new constitution in 2010.
A giant political figure, Bhengu-Motsiri said Odinga stood fearlessly against oppression, endured imprisonment, and emerged as one of Africa’s enduring champions of democracy and good governance.
Bhengu-Motsiri continued:
His unwavering commitment to the people and his belief in the power of unity and dialogue will forever remain a guiding light for future generations.
“He remained a loyal friend of South Africa and a staunch supporter of liberation movements across the continent. His vision of an integrated and prosperous Africa echoed the ideals of the Freedom Charter and the spirit of Pan-Africanism that continues to bind our nations together,” said Bhengu-Motsiri.
