Ruth Odinga recalls heartbreaking moment when she had to switch off Raila’s life-support machine in India

The late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and his sister, Ruth Odinga. (Ruth Odinga)

By Maureen Kinyanjui
Saturday, October 18, 2025

Ruth, who is also the Kisumu Woman Representative, confirmed that Raila was optimistic about coming back home the next day. She said he had been in high spirits and showed remarkable recovery during his final days in India.

Fresh accounts have shed light on the heartbreaking final hours of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, with his sister, Ruth Odinga, revealing how she made the difficult decision of turning off the life-support machines.

Speaking in Bondo on Saturday, Ruth said the moment she switched off the machines was when she realised the country had lost one of its greatest leaders.

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“So I say for those who said those things when he was still alive, it was really wrong, but for those who have shown their love right now, the reality would be this, but the loss is for Kenya. When I laid him down and I stopped the machines, I said, Kenya has lost you,” she said, addressing what she called the hypocrisy shown towards her late brother.

Ruth, who is also the Kisumu Woman Representative, confirmed that Raila was optimistic about coming back home the next day. She said he had been in high spirits and showed remarkable recovery during his final days in India.

“We were not even at the hospital; we were just at a resort where we were staying ahead of our return on Thursday,” she said. “He was just okay, he was doing his normal walk, and we were supposed to come back tomorrow.”

Ruth recounted that during his morning walk, Raila only mentioned feeling slightly tired before sitting down to rest. “He didn’t collapse. He just said he was feeling a little tired and sat down. We thought it was just fatigue from the walk and then called for an ambulance.”

Earlier, Raila’s elder brother Oburu Odinga recounted how the ODM leader collapsed while walking with his daughter, Winnie Odinga.

“When it happened, they were walking together with Winnie. She saw everything,” Oburu said. “They rushed him to the ICU, but God had His own plans. Raila is gone.”

Oburu said Raila had been in good health and even planned to return home soon. “Ruth and Winnie were with him when it happened. We thank God for the time He gave us with him,” he added.

Raila was taken to Devamatha Hospital in Kerala, India, where doctors battled to save his life. According to hospital officials, he was brought in after collapsing during his morning walk around 8:30 am Indian time.

Dr Sr Alphons said medics tried to resuscitate him through CPR and emergency intubation. “We continued CPR along with other resuscitative measures,” she said.

Raila Odinga's sister, Ruth and his daughter, Winnie, view his body in Parliament. (PCS)

Winnie, speaking during her father’s State funeral at Nyayo Stadium, recounted her father’s final hours.

“I was with him in India when he took his last breath. He died in my arms, but he did not die as people have been saying on social media,” she said. “Every day he was waking up and walking one round, then two rounds the next day. That morning, he pushed to five rounds. He died strong and with dignity and pride.”

Dr Alphons detailed the medical interventions carried out before Raila’s death. She said the former Prime Minister had no detectable pulse or blood pressure upon arrival. After extensive CPR, a brief heart rhythm was noted but soon faded.