Raila Odinga’s family attends his first anniversary commemoration at Migwena Cultural and Sports Ground in Bondo, Siaya County.
Maurice Ogeta’s recollection raises fresh questions about Raila Odinga’s final hours, while hospital details leave the family timeline unresolved.
Raila death accounts face renewed scrutiny after longtime bodyguard Maurice Ogeta described the former prime minister’s final moments. His recollection differs from statements by members of the Odinga family following the death.
Raila died in Kerala, India, on October 15, 2025, aged 80. A year later, public accounts still leave gaps about the medical emergency and who was present.
However, those differences do not establish that any account excludes everyone mentioned in another. The available statements also lack a shared timeline separating the walk, hospital treatment and death.
Raila death accounts differ over who was present
At the State funeral on October 17, 2025, Winnie Odinga described being with her father in India. She told mourners at Nyayo National Stadium that she held him as he died.
Ogeta, meanwhile, said in a recent interview that he and Dr Olunya were near Raila during his final moments. He also recalled hearing Raila make a faint sound twice as his condition worsened.
His account does not establish that Winnie or other relatives were absent. Nevertheless, the recollections leave unanswered questions about who was present at each stage.
Raila’s elder brother, Oburu Oginga, also placed Winnie alongside her father when the emergency began. Speaking after the death, Oburu said they had been walking together and that she witnessed the incident.
He added that Raila then went to intensive care. However, the public statements do not establish whether Oburu personally witnessed those events.
Different descriptions of the morning walk
Raila’s sister, Ruth Odinga, rejected reports that he collapsed during his morning exercise. In October 2025, she said he had been in good spirits and expected to return to Kenya the following day.
She explained that the family was staying at a resort after his treatment. According to Ruth, Raila complained of tiredness during the walk and sat down, prompting them to call an ambulance.
Ogeta, by contrast, described a sudden loss of strength. He said Raila planned to complete five rounds of a track measuring approximately 50 metres.
The pair chatted through the first lap without difficulty, Ogeta recalled. During the second lap, however, Raila stopped after covering roughly a quarter of the distance.
Ogeta said he stood about a metre away and asked whether Raila had back or leg pain. Raila did not respond normally, appeared dazed and needed support as his body gave way.
The accounts may describe different stages or perspectives of the emergency. Even so, Ruth’s description of sitting down differs from Ogeta’s recollection of physically supporting Raila.
Hospital details leave family timeline unresolved
Doctors at Devamatha Hospital in Kerala reported that Raila arrived without a detectable pulse or blood pressure. They attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation and other emergency measures.
Dr Sister Alphons, who participated in his treatment, said those efforts failed. The hospital account, however, does not identify which relatives attended particular stages of treatment.
Ruth added another detail while speaking in Bondo on October 18, 2025. She said she switched off machines supporting her brother.
Her statement did not establish which machines she meant or how that moment related to resuscitation. Meanwhile, Ogeta recalled hospital staff preparing prayer items and candles as doctors continued their efforts.
He said this alerted him to the seriousness of the situation, and he wanted to inform Raila’s daughters himself. Together, these recollections still leave the sequence of events unclear.
Ogeta clarifies widely shared video
Ogeta also disputed claims about footage circulated after Raila’s death. The video showed Raila wearing a gown, with his bodyguard following behind.
According to Ogeta, the footage came from an earlier visit to Dubai for Raila’s first surgery, not India.
As the family marks the first anniversary, the differing recollections have renewed attention on Raila’s final hours. However, the available accounts do not conclusively resolve the timing of relatives’ presence or the emergency’s precise sequence.
