“I Knew Something Was Wrong”: Raila Odinga’s Bodyguard Recounts Final Hours In India Hospital

Maurice Ogeta, the long-time bodyguard of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, has recounted the agonizing moments leading up to his boss’s passing at a hospital in India, describing how religious preparations inside the medical room first alerted him that something was terribly wrong.

Speaking during a television interview on Sunday, October 11, 2026, Ogeta recalled watching medical staff deploy emergency equipment, including a defibrillator, while attending to the late opposition leader. However, his concern turned to alarm when he noticed staff quietly setting up religious items nearby.

“By the time they brought the electrical shock, I was like, no. Within a very short time, I saw some place there being prepared. They brought a stand where they put a Bible on top… then I saw a Bible and candles and a certain cloth,” Ogeta recounted. “I was like, ‘No, Doc, are you sure we are okay? What are all these for?’”

According to Ogeta, attending physician Dr. Olunya tried to reassure him, explaining that the facility was a mission hospital where staff routinely offered prayers during critical medical procedures. Shortly after, a priest arrived, performed prayers, and folded his Bible before abruptly departing—a gesture Ogeta said heightened his suspicions that the medical team was managing a grave outcome.

Counselling and Final Moments

Ogeta described how his fears were confirmed moments later when Dr. Olunya inquired about room availability for grief counselling and asked for Raila’s daughters, Winnie and Ruth, who were praying in the hospital chapel.

Recognizing the gravity of the situation, Ogeta advised the doctor against bringing in counselors before giving the family a direct medical update.

“I told him, ‘If it has happened, there is no need for counselling. I know these people better; they will not accept. Just tell them what has happened, then we see what we will do,’” Ogeta said.

The former bodyguard’s account offers a detailed look into the final hours of the veteran political figure, whose death in late 2025 drew nationwide mourning across Kenya.