Former President Nana Akufo-Addo has expressed heartfelt sympathy to the people of Kenya and the family of former Prime Minister, Raila Amolo Odinga, who died in India earlier on Tuesday October 14.

According to a post he shared on Facebook,  the former president described Mr. Odinga as a “great son of Africa” and a close friend whose death has sparked widespread grief across the continent.

“I extend my deepest condolences to the people of the great sisterly nation of Kenya, President William Samoei Ruto, and to the family of the late Rt. Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga. News of the passing of this great son of Africa, who, for a long time, was a very good friend of mine, has been received with widespread sadness,” Nana Akufo-Addo wrote.

Akufo-Addo recalled his longstanding friendship with the late Kenyan President, including their shared vision for strengthening democracy and promoting human rights across Africa.

“Aside the many encounters and thought-experiences upon which we held deep convictions, Prime Minister Odinga and I shared mutual values on strengthening democracy and advancing the human rights of Africa’s citizens,” he said.

Nana Akufo-Addo fondly recalled the late Kenyan Prime Minister’s presence at his January 7, 2017 inauguration at Independence Square in Accra, where he was among the distinguished guests in attendance.

He also noted Ghana’s firm support for Mr. Odinga’s 2024 campaign for the African Union Commission Chairmanship, which brought both Kenyan President William Ruto and Mr. Odinga to Accra that year.

“As a founding member of the African Union, I pledged Ghana’s support, without hesitation, when President Ruto visited Ghana to secure our backing for Prime Minister Odinga’s candidacy. Indeed, he visited me himself in November 2024 as part of his campaign,” Mr. Mahama said.

Describing the late statesman as a pillar of Kenya’s democratic evolution, Nana Akufo-Addo paid tribute to Mr. Odinga’s “remarkable footprints on Kenya’s stability, democracy, and history,” adding that he will be “sorely missed.”

In 2023, Raila Odinga alleged a deadly threat on his life on Friday, March 31 2023, during an anti-government protest in Nairobi.

Odinga claimed that as he was travelling around the city, organizing protests, his car was shot at several times.

He displayed to reporters bullet-related dents on his armored truck.

“There is no mistaking, for that the intention was basically to kill," Odinga said. The politician accused the government of being behind the incident.

“I don't think any police officer could aim to come to shoot and assassinate politicians without being commanded from the very top,” Odinga said.

Two escort cars also had their rear windscreens shattered. Inside the vehicles, the strong smell of tear gas was still present. Odinga said he had instructed his lawyers to proceed to court over the incident.

The 78-year-old long-time candidate for president is one of the leading figures behind anti-government demonstrations. He insisted the protests will only stop after the government lowers the cost of basic food items and allows access to the 2022 election results from the electoral commission's main computers.

The opposition is blaming President William Ruto for the rising cost of living and alleges he illegally manipulated his election in last year’s polls, although the Supreme Court has upheld the validity of the election results.

President Ruto, who on Thursday arrived back in the country from a four-day trip in Belgium and Germany, has remained adamant that the ongoing protests are illegal.

Police have been using force to disperse protesters and so far four people are reported to have died since the protests started last week. The protests have sparked counter violence against opposition targets.

The independent Policing Oversight Authority is investigating four incidents of police shooting and killing protesters as well allegations that police failed to respond to a report on the damaging of private property. The authority has urged police to abide by the law while protecting life and property.

Civil society groups that include Amnesty Kenya and the Kenya Human Rights Commission have expressed concerns over the abuse of human rights by the police during the protests and urged police to uphold their service to humanity.

Raila Odinga's mortal remains arrived in Nairobi on Thursday, October 16.

It was welcomed a massive and emotional crowd, marking the start of a national period of mourning for a man who shaped the nation's democracy for decades.

Shortly before 10 a.m. the aircraft carrying Odinga’s remains had landed at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Kenyans gathered to wave flags, sing the national anthem, and chant in tribute to the leader they affectionately called "Baba,"as his coffin exited the tarmac.

It was a scene of solemn and vibrant with a procession of iconic motorcycle taxis, "boda bodas," accompanying the hearse, illustrating his deep connection with the populace.

A life of political struggle

Odinga was defining force in Kenyan politics.

He died at 80 from a suspected heart attack while on a walk with his family and doctor in India.

His son, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, championed multiparty democracy in the 1990s, enduring periods of detention without trial.

His political career was marked by five unsuccessful presidential bids, the most recent in 2022.

Each defeat was contested, most notably after the 2007 election, which he claimed was stolen and which triggered widespread violence, leading to a power-sharing agreement that made him Prime Minister from 2008 to 2013.

A legacy beyond opposition

Odinga's legacy is one of a dedicated patriot respected across political divides,

President William Ruto, his former rival, announced a seven-day mourning period with flags at half-staff, describing his passing as an "immense and immeasurable loss."

After losing the 2022 election, Odinga joined President Ruto in forming a “broad-based” government, a decision he said was necessary to promote national unity.

His remains will be placed in Parliament for public viewing ahead of a national funeral on Friday, after which he will be taken to his hometown of Bondo for burial on Sunday.