Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s bodyguard, Maurice Ogeta, has recounted the unsettling moments before the veteran politician’s death, saying he noticed unusual preparations at the hospital before receiving the news.
Speaking during a local television interview on Sunday, October 11, 2026, Ogeta said prayer items and candles were being prepared, prompting him to seek an explanation from Dr Olunya, who reportedly reassured him that prayers were part of the mission hospital’s routine care.
“Before receiving the news that Baba was gone, prayer items and candles were already being prepared. I asked Dr Olunya what was happening, and he reassured me that it was a mission hospital where they pray for patients as they treat them.
However, I was getting different signs that all was not well,” Ogeta recalled.
Despite the reassurance, Ogeta said the developments left him uneasy as he struggled to understand what was happening before Raila’s death was announced.
His account offers a personal perspective on the uncertainty surrounding the former Prime Minister’s final hours. However, it does not independently establish the medical circumstances surrounding his death.
Raila died in India on October 15, 2025, aged 80, while receiving medical treatment.
His death ended a decades-long political career that saw him serve as Kenya’s Prime Minister from 2008 to 2013 and emerge as one of the country’s most influential opposition leaders.
He played a central role in Kenya’s multiparty democracy struggle, constitutional reform efforts and several presidential elections.
As Kenyans mark the anniversary period of his death, recollections from people who worked closely with him continue to draw attention to the final chapter of his life and his enduring political legacy.
