Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s viral video showing him walking in a hospital gown was recorded in Dubai years before his death, according to his longtime aide Maurice Ogeta. Speaking in a television interview, Ogeta dismissed speculation that the footage captured Raila during his final days in India, where he died on October 15, 2025. He also offered a detailed account of the former Prime Minister’s final morning, describing their routine walk and the sudden moment Raila collapsed.
Highlights
- Maurice Ogeta says the viral video of Raila Odinga walking in a hospital gown was filmed in Dubai, not India.
- The footage was reportedly recorded after Raila underwent back surgery in June 2020.
- Ogeta has recounted how Raila suddenly lost control of his body during a morning walk in Kerala, India.
- Raila’s sister, Ruth Odinga, and daughter, Winnie Odinga, have spoken about his final moments in hospital.
- The former Prime Minister died on October 15, 2025, after suffering cardiac arrest.
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Maurice Ogeta Explains Origin of Viral Raila Odinga Video
Maurice Ogeta, who served as Raila Odinga’s aide and personal security guard for 29 years, has clarified the circumstances surrounding a video of the late opposition leader walking in a hospital gown that circulated widely after his death.
The footage sparked widespread discussion online, with some people believing it had been recorded in India shortly before Raila passed away.
However, Ogeta has dismissed that interpretation, explaining that the video was taken several years earlier in Dubai after Raila underwent surgery.
He said the clip showed the former Prime Minister recovering from his first operation in the United Arab Emirates and was unrelated to his final hospital admission in India.
The clarification comes after the footage triggered speculation across social media platforms, with Kenyans questioning when and where it had been recorded.
Raila Underwent Back Surgery in Dubai in 2020
Records indicate that Raila underwent a back operation on June 21, 2020, at a medical facility in Dubai operated by a German organisation.
The procedure involved treatment for spinal canal stenosis, a condition in which the spaces within the spine narrow and may put pressure on nerves.
Following the operation, Raila spent approximately three weeks recovering before returning to Kenya in July 2020.
Ogeta’s account places the viral footage within this earlier period of treatment and recovery, rather than the events surrounding Raila’s death five years later.
The clarification is significant because the video resurfaced at a time when conflicting accounts and speculation about the former Prime Minister’s final hours were spreading online.
Ogeta Recounts Raila’s Final Morning in India
Beyond addressing the viral clip, Ogeta described the events leading up to Raila’s collapse while the former Prime Minister was staying at a facility in Kerala, India.
According to Ogeta, that morning began like their usual days together. He recalled hearing Raila open his room door before the two met in the corridor and proceeded towards the living room and veranda.
Raila was preparing for his regular morning walk when the two exchanged greetings and discussed their routine.
Ogeta said he encouraged Raila to stretch while seated before starting the exercise. The former Prime Minister followed the suggestion and later requested a glass of water.
He recalled that Raila appeared cheerful and in good spirits as they prepared to walk.
The two began their usual route, completing the first stretch of approximately 50 metres without incident.
However, during the second round, Raila suddenly stopped and indicated that something felt wrong.
‘He Had Lost Control of His Body’
Ogeta said he initially asked Raila whether he was experiencing pain in his back or leg, but the former Prime Minister did not answer.
He then offered to help him move to a place where he could rest.
According to the account, Raila reached out his hand towards Ogeta, but as the aide attempted to support him, he realised that the former Prime Minister was losing control of his body.
Ogeta said he held Raila and carefully lowered him onto the paved ground before positioning him and calling for assistance.
The incident marked a sudden and dramatic change from what had begun as an ordinary morning routine.
Ogeta’s recollection provides another account of the circumstances surrounding Raila’s medical emergency in India, where he was subsequently taken to hospital.
Ruth and Winnie Odinga Speak About His Final Moments
Raila’s death prompted intense public interest, with members of his family also addressing questions about what happened during his final hours.
His sister, Ruth Odinga, said she was present during the final stage of his treatment in India and described the difficult moment when doctors indicated that further intervention would not help.
She recounted making the decision to switch off the life-support machines after his condition deteriorated.
Raila’s daughter, Winnie Odinga, also defended the family’s account, saying she was present during his final treatment and that he died following medical complications.
According to reports from Devamatha Hospital in Kerala, Raila arrived without a detectable pulse or blood pressure and was pronounced dead on the morning of October 15, 2025.
Medical accounts cited after his death indicated that he had been managing several chronic conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease and a history of deep vein thrombosis.
His death at the age of 80 triggered nationwide mourning and a rapid succession of arrangements to return his body to Kenya for burial.
Raila’s Final Conversation With His Longtime Aide
Ogeta also shared details of what he described as his final conversation with Raila, which took place on the veranda before their morning walk.
The two were discussing a woman working in a nearby garden when the conversation turned to Raila’s childhood and experiences growing up.
Ogeta recalled that Raila spoke about the responsibilities he had carried while young, including fetching firewood and water and working on the family farm.
Despite being the son of Kenya’s former Vice President Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Raila explained that his upbringing had also involved ordinary household and farming duties.
The conversation offered Ogeta a final glimpse into the personal side of a man who had spent decades at the centre of Kenya’s political life.
For the longtime aide, the morning began as many others had during their nearly three decades together, but ended in an emergency that would leave the country mourning one of its most prominent political figures.
Viral Footage Renewed Questions About Raila’s Death
The circulation of the Dubai video after Raila’s death illustrates how old footage can fuel fresh speculation when its original context is unclear.
Ogeta’s clarification distinguishes the earlier surgical recovery from the medical emergency that occurred in India in October 2025.
As accounts from people who accompanied Raila continue to emerge, the former Prime Minister’s final days remain an important part of the public record surrounding his death.
For many Kenyans, the renewed attention also reflects the lasting public interest in Raila’s life, political legacy and the circumstances of his final journey.
Even after his passing, Raila Odinga’s life continues to draw public attention, reminding Kenyans that behind the political legacy was a man whose final moments are remembered by those who stood closest to him.
