Royal Media Services (RMS) Group Editorial Director Linus Kaikai has revealed details of his final phone conversation with the late ODM leader Raila Odinga just days before his passing.
Speaking on Wednesday, October 15, Kaikai disclosed that he had spoken with Raila on Sunday, October 13, describing the former Prime Minister as being in high spirits during their seven-minute exchange.
“Let me just say that this past Sunday, at 6:32 p.m., I spoke with Raila Odinga for seven minutes. I called to ask how he was doing, and I heard someone who was cheerful and completely normal, he even started asking me about matters of the country,” he said.
Kaikai went on to express the magnitude of the loss, describing the day as one of immense grief for the nation.
“It is a day of great sorrow, as we can see from the videos being aired. It is a very heavy day because when you look at the life of Raila Odinga, I don’t think there has been any political leader with as much influence as Raila. It is a sad death,” he added.
Raila passed away on Wednesday morning at the age of 80.
He reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest during a morning walk at an Ayurvedic treatment facility in Kerala’s Ernakulam district, India.
Raila was rushed to a private hospital in Koothattukulam, where doctors pronounced him dead at 7:22 a.m.
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta mourned Raila as a towering statesman and a personal friend, reflecting on their shared history, marked by rivalry, reconciliation, and unity of purpose.
He said the news of Raila’s passing had left a deep void in the country and in his own heart.
“My heart is heavy, and my spirit is burdened with a grief that is both profound and deeply personal. The news of Raila’s passing has left a silence that echoes across our nation, a silence where once there was a voice of thunder and conviction,” he said.
Uhuru went on to describe Raila as a major influence in his personal and political life, acknowledging their complicated yet meaningful relationship over the years.
“To me, Raila was more than a political colleague; he was a defining part of my own journey, in public service and in life. Raila and I were navigators on opposing currents, charting different courses for the nation we both loved.
“At some point along that journey, we became political opponents and often, the weight of that competition felt immense,” he added.
