Former President Nana Akufo-Addo has expressed deep sorrow over the passing of former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga, who died in India on Tuesday.
In a message shared on his Facebook page, Akufo-Addo extended heartfelt condolences to Mr. Odinga’s family, the people of Kenya, and President William Samoei Ruto.
He described the late leader as “a great son of Africa” and a “dear friend” whose death has touched many across the continent.
“I extend my deepest condolences to the people of the great sisterly nation of Kenya, President William Samoei Ruto, and to the family of the late Rt. Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga.
“News of the passing of this great son of Africa, who, for a long time, was a very good friend of mine, has been received with widespread sadness,” Akufo-Addo mourned.
Reflecting on their long association, Mr. Akufo-Addo said he and Mr. Odinga shared a mutual commitment to democracy, human rights, and good governance across Africa.
“Aside the many encounters and thought-experiences upon which we held deep convictions, Prime Minister Odinga and I shared mutual values on strengthening democracy and advancing the human rights of Africa’s citizens,” he noted.
The former president also recalled Mr. Odinga’s presence at his inauguration on January 7, 2017, describing him as one of the distinguished guests who graced the event at Independence Square in Accra.
Akufo-Addo further mentioned Ghana’s strong support for Mr. Odinga’s 2024 African Union Commission Chairperson bid, which brought both President Ruto and Mr. Odinga to Ghana that year.
“As a founding member of the African Union, I pledged Ghana’s support, without hesitation, when President Ruto visited Ghana to secure our backing for Prime Minister Odinga’s candidacy. Indeed, he visited me himself in November 2024 as part of his campaign,”
he said.
Paying tribute to the late Kenyan leader, Mr. Akufo-Addo described Odinga as a pillar of Kenya’s democratic growth whose influence extended far beyond his nation.
“His remarkable footprints on Kenya’s stability, democracy, and history will never be forgotten,” Akufo-Addo stated. “He will be sorely missed.”
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