NAIROBI, Kenya — Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has unveiled a detailed four-day state funeral programme for former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, revealing that the late leader’s final wishes included interment within 72 hours, culminating in burial this Sunday beside his father in Bondo.
The announcement followed President William Ruto’s formation of a National Funeral Committee, co-chaired by Kindiki and Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga, the former Prime Minister’s elder brother, to coordinate the elaborate send-off for the nation’s foremost opposition leader.
Repatriation and Public Viewing
According to the schedule released Wednesday night, Odinga’s body is scheduled to arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) at 8:30 AM Thursday aboard a Kenya Airways flight from Mumbai, where he passed away while receiving medical treatment.
The body will be received by President Ruto and other senior government officials in a solemn state arrival ceremony.
A procession will then transport the body to Lee Funeral Home before moving to Parliament Buildings for public viewing from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM on Thursday.
This allows citizens to pay their respects to the man who dominated Kenya’s political landscape for decades.
State Funeral and Final Journey
The programme culminates in a state funeral service at Nyayo National Stadium on Friday, expected to be attended by regional heads of state and international dignitaries. The government has made elaborate security arrangements under DP Kithure Kindiki’s supervision to handle the anticipated massive turnout.
On Saturday, the procession will travel to Odinga’s western Kenya stronghold, with public viewings in Kisumu before overnight mourning in Bondo.
The final burial will take place on Sunday at the family graveyard in Kango Ka Jaramogi, Nyamira, Bondo, where Odinga will rest beside his father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, and son Fidel Odinga.
National Mourning and International Cooperation
President Ruto declared seven days of national mourning and suspended all public engagements “as a mark of respect” for the former Prime Minister. The Head of State acknowledged the Indian government’s cooperation in facilitating the repatriation of Odinga’s remains, following a formal request from Nairobi.
A high-level delegation led by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, including Cabinet Secretaries Kipchumba Murkomen, Ali Hassan Joho, William Kabogo, National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, and Odinga family members led by widow Ida Odinga, traveled to India to oversee the dignified return of the former Prime Minister’s body.
The compressed 72-hour timeline, while respecting Odinga’s final wishes, presents significant logistical challenges for the state. However, the government’s comprehensive approach demonstrates the national importance accorded to honoring the legacy of a leader who shaped Kenya’s democratic trajectory across five decades of public service.
