A team of doctors from India’s Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic Hospital, where the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga passed away, is in Kenya to pay their final respects. Their arrival was confirmed on Thursday, October 30, after Mombasa Governor and ODM Deputy Party Leader Abdulswamad Nassir received them in Mombasa.
The visiting delegation was accompanied by Raila’s daughter, Rosemary Odinga, who previously received successful treatment at the same hospital in Kerala, India. Governor Nassir described the doctors’ visit as a powerful show of friendship and global solidarity.
“This morning, I received Rosemary Odinga in Mombasa, daughter to our departed Party Leader, H.E. Raila Amolo Odinga, C.G.H, who was accompanied by doctors from Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic Hospital in Kerala, India,” Nassir stated.
He added that the Indian doctors had come to Kenya to honour a man whose influence reached far beyond the nation’s borders. “They are in Kenya to pay their final respects to a man whose life and legacy transcended borders. The global outpouring of love for Baba reflects his extraordinary journey—defined by courage, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to justice and humanity,” Nassir said.
The Final Days of Raila Odinga
Raila Odinga passed away on October 15, 2025, while receiving Ayurvedic treatment at the Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic Eye Hospital and Research Centre in Kerala, India. Reports indicate that he was taking a walk on the hospital premises when he suddenly suffered a cardiac arrest.
He was rushed to a nearby private hospital in Koothattukulam, Kerala, but despite doctors’ efforts, he could not be revived. Raila had only been at the Ayurvedic centre for five days, receiving therapy for a persistent leg problem.
This trip was a follow-up to an earlier visit to a hospital in Mumbai, where he had sought conventional medical care. According to sources close to the family, Raila had been managing several chronic health conditions, including diabetes and hypertension.
Winnie Odinga, Raila’s daughter, was seen placing her father’s trademark hat on his coffin before his body was flown back to Nairobi from Mumbai on October 15. The symbolic gesture captured the nation’s sorrow and marked the beginning of nationwide mourning.
Rosemary Odinga’s Connection with the Hospital
The link between the Odinga family and the Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic Hospital dates back to 2019 when Rosemary Odinga began receiving treatment there for vision loss. Rosemary had lost her eyesight following complications from a brain tumour and aneurysm in 2017.
Her journey to recovery became one of the most talked-about medical success stories in Kenya. After years of treatment at the Kerala-based facility, Rosemary began regaining her vision in 2022. The breakthrough drew attention to the hospital’s use of Ayurvedic medicine—a traditional Indian practice combining herbs, diet, and lifestyle therapy.
In a 2022 interview with a local media outlet, Dr. Sreekanth Namboothri, one of the leading specialists at Sreedhareeyam, revealed that the team was confident about Rosemary’s recovery even before meeting her. He explained that they had reviewed her medical records after several unsuccessful attempts by other specialists using conventional methods.
Dr. Namboothri said their first goal was to stabilise Rosemary’s eyesight, prevent further deterioration, and later enhance her colour perception and field vision. By 2022, Rosemary’s vision had improved significantly after multiple treatments.
A Global Farewell to a Pan-African Icon
In Kerala, hospital staff described him as humble, approachable, and deeply curious about alternative medicine. They noted that he often interacted with patients and staff, sharing his life experiences and encouraging cross-cultural understanding.
Governor Nassir’s reception of the Indian medical delegation highlights the Odinga family’s long-standing connection with India—a relationship built on both political alliances and shared human experiences.
From treating his daughter’s blindness to being the place of his final breath, India remains a profound part of Raila Odinga’s life story. The doctors’ visit is therefore not just a farewell gesture—it is a symbol of respect to a man whose vision extended beyond borders and whose legacy will continue to shape Africa’s democratic ideals.
