Former Kenyan Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, has died at the age of 80.

According to reports, Odinga was receiving medical treatment in the southern Indian city of Kochi when he suffered a cardiac arrest. He was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Odinga, one of Kenya’s most influential political figures, contested the presidency five times but was unsuccessful on each occasion. Two of those elections ended in violent unrest, marked by political divisions and bloodshed across the country.

A veteran opposition leader and democracy advocate, Odinga played a key role in shaping modern Kenyan politics. His efforts were instrumental in achieving two major national milestones — the introduction of multiparty democracy in 1991 and the adoption of a new constitution in 2010.

Odinga also led nationwide protests following the disputed 2007 presidential election, which triggered Kenya’s worst political violence since independence. The unrest left about 1,300 people dead and displaced hundreds of thousands from their homes.

Reuters