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SAD! Former Kenyan PM Raila Odinga is dead
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Former Kenyan Prime Minister and opposition leader Raila Odinga has died at the age of 80.
His passing marks the end of a long and influential career in Kenyan politics.
Odinga, a towering figure in Kenya’s political landscape, had been receiving treatment in India prior to his death at an Ayurvedic treatment center. This is according to reports by Reuters.
Over the years, he contested five presidential elections, losing each time, with two of those contests triggering episodes of severe political violence and national unrest.
Despite never securing the presidency, Odinga was widely regarded as a champion of democracy and political reform.
His work as a democracy activist helped bring about two of the country’s most significant milestones: the introduction of multiparty democracy in 1991 and the adoption of a new constitution in 2010. Both reforms reshaped Kenya’s political system and strengthened democratic institutions across the country.
Odinga played a central role in leading protests after the disputed 2007 election, which resulted in the most serious episode of political violence in Kenya since independence. The unrest left roughly 1,300 people dead and displaced hundreds of thousands from their homes. His leadership during these crises cemented his reputation as a steadfast, if polarizing, figure in the nation’s political discourse.
Throughout his career, Odinga remained a vocal critic of government corruption and a persistent advocate for social justice and reform. He often positioned himself as a voice for marginalized communities and sought to hold successive administrations accountable.
Odinga’s death is expected to have a profound impact on Kenyan politics, particularly within the opposition, where he served as a mentor and a unifying figure for younger politicians. National leaders and international figures have begun expressing condolences, highlighting his enduring influence on Kenya’s democratic development.
Brief profile on Odinga
Raila Odinga was born on January 7, 1945, in Maseno, Kisumu District, Nyanza Province, to Mary Juma Odinga and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Kenya’s first vice president.
A member of the Luo ethnic group, he attended local schools before moving to East Germany in 1962, where he studied at the Herder Institute and later at the Technische Hochschule in Magdeburg, earning a certificate in welding in 1970.
Returning to Kenya, Odinga founded a company manufacturing liquid petroleum gas cylinders and later joined the Kenya Bureau of Standards, rising to deputy director. His political career began amid Kenya’s authoritarian era; he was detained multiple times following the 1982 attempted coup and for his pro-democracy activism, earning nicknames like “Agwambo” and “Jakom.”
Odinga played a pivotal role in the fight for multiparty democracy, joining FORD-Kenya and later the National Rainbow Coalition, which helped elect Mwai Kibaki in 2002. He formed the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and ran unsuccessfully for president five times.
In 2018, he struck the historic “handshake” with President Uhuru Kenyatta, giving rise to the Building Bridges Initiative. He also served as African Union High Representative for Infrastructure Development.
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has described the victory of Jide Oyekunle, a journalist with Independent Newspaper, at the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice as a major victory for journalism and press freedom in Nigeria.
The union, in its reaction to the judgment awarding N10 million in damages against the Nigerian government over the violation of Oyekunle’s rights, said the ruling represents an important step towards protecting journalists and defending media freedom.
The NUJ in a statement signed by the National Secretary, Achike Chude on Wednesday commended the efforts of Avocats Sans Frontières France (ASF France) for providing legal support and standing with the journalist throughout the legal process.
It said the judgment serves as a reminder of the need for the protection of journalists who perform their constitutional duty of informing the public, adding that attacks and harassment against media practitioners must not go unchecked.
The union urged the Nigerian government to comply with the ECOWAS Court judgment by paying the N10 million damages awarded to Oyekunle without delay.
According to the NUJ, prompt compliance with the ruling would demonstrate respect for the rule of law and reinforce Nigeria’s commitment to upholding human rights and press freedom.
The union further called for stronger measures to guarantee the safety and independence of journalists across the country.
Signed
Comrade Achike Chude
National Secretary
President Tinubu Will Commission Roads 01 and 02 Linking Mabushi Bus Terminal and Ahmadu Bello Way Today
#FCTRenewedHope
#FCTProjectsCommissioning
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BEWARE: FG warns 26 States of flood, places, Bayelsa, Delta, Lagos, Adamawa, Benue, others as critical risk areas
The Federal Government has alerted residents of 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to the possibility of flooding between June 22 and July 5, 2026, following forecasts of heavy rainfall in different parts of the country.
The warning was issued by the Federal Ministry of Environment through the National Flood Early Warning Centre under its Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zone Management Department.
The ministry said several communities across the country have been identified as areas that could face serious flood threats during the period.
According to the forecast released on June 22, heavy rainfall is expected in many locations, raising concerns about possible flooding in vulnerable communities.
States placed under the critical-risk category include Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo and Rivers.
In Abia State, the affected communities include Aba, Arochukwu and Umuahia. In Adamawa, the ministry listed Jimeta and Numan, while Eket, Oron and Uyo were named in Akwa Ibom. In Anambra, Onitsha Inland Town and Awka Urban Drainage Corridors were identified as vulnerable locations.
Bayelsa communities such as Yenagoa, Brass and Nembe Town were also listed among areas that could be affected by flooding.
Other locations mentioned include Makurdi, Gboko and Katsina-Ala in Benue State; Calabar Metropolis and Creek Town in Cross River State; Asaba, Warri and Sapele in Delta State; and Abakaliki, Afikpo and Onueke in Ebonyi State.
The ministry also identified Benin City Urban Core and Auchi in Edo State, Ado-Ekiti and Ikere-Ekiti in Ekiti State, as well as Enugu, Nsukka and Oji River Town in Enugu State.
In Imo State, Owerri, Orlu and Okigwe were listed, while Lokoja and Ajaokuta were named in Kogi State. Communities such as Ilorin, Jebba and Pategi in Kwara State were also included in the warning.
Several parts of Lagos State were equally listed among the areas at risk.
These include Agege, Alimosho, Apapa, Badagry, Ikeja, Ikorodu, Lagos Island, Lekki and Surulere.
In Niger State, Bida, Minna, Mokwa, Suleja and Kontagora were identified, while Abeokuta, Ota and Sagamu were listed in Ogun State.
The flood alert further covered Akure, Owo and Okitipupa in Ondo State; Oshogbo, Ile-Ife and Ilesa in Osun State; Ibadan, Ogbomoso and Oyo in Oyo State; as well as Port Harcourt Urban Core, Bonny, Ahoada and Omoku in Rivers State.
Apart from the states under the critical-risk category, the ministry also placed parts of Adamawa, the FCT, Kebbi, Kogi, Nasarawa, Plateau and Taraba states under a high-risk category.
Communities listed in this group include Yola North, Yola South, Mubi and Gurin in Adamawa State; Abuja Municipal, Gwagwalada, Kubwa, Nyanya and Wuse in the FCT; Birnin Kebbi and Argungu in Kebbi State; Bako in Kogi State; and Keffi, Lafia, Karu and Toto in Nasarawa State.
The warning also covered Jos and Jos North in Plateau State, as well as Jalingo, Wukari, Takum, Serti and Karim Lamido in Taraba State.
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