Former Kenyan PM Odinga Laid to Rest With Full State Honors After Deadly, Chaotic Funeral Rites
Former Kenyan PM Odinga Laid to Rest With Full State Honors After Deadly, Chaotic Funeral Rites
The late Raila Odinga was honored with a 17-gun salute and a Kenya Air Force fly-past during his state burial at his family's homestead in western Kenya's Bondo, by Lake Victoria, local media reported.
What will Kenya remember about Raila Odinga:
▪Died on October 15 in Kochi, India, aged 80;
▪Former Prime Minister (2008) and five-time presidential candidate;
▪Was imprisoned for treason; known as “Baba” (Father) by millions;
▪Forged key political pacts with Uhuru Kenyatta (2018) and William Ruto (2024);
▪Revered as a lifelong champion of democracy, justice, and good governance.
▪During Saba Saba protests in July, he urged "an inclusive, intergenerational national conclave" to identify key reforms and address corruption, impunity, and leadership accountability.
The burial capped a three-day national ceremony marked by immense public turnout—and tragic chaos. At least five people reportedly died and hundreds were injured during viewings in Nairobi and Kisumu as crowds surged to bid farewell to the late leader.
William Ruto declared seven days of national mourning. Global tributes poured in, including from Barack Obama, Somalia’s Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Ethiopia’s Taye Atske Selassie, and former Kenyan leaders Uhuru Kenyatta and Olusegun Obasanjo.
"The vast sea of Kenyans gathered in solemn unity reminds us that Baba’s journey was never his alone; it was the journey of a people striving for freedom, dignity, and the promise of a just and equitable nation. His courage, his vision, and his unyielding faith in our collective destiny will forever illuminate the path of our nation," the Kenyan president said on X.
Subscribe to @sputnik_africa
