NAIROBI, Kenya — President William Ruto has postponed all his public and political engagements following the death of former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga, whom he described as “a fearless freedom fighter and a unifier who gave his all for Kenya.”
In a solemn address from the State House, President Ruto announced a seven-day national mourning period and ordered that the National Flag be flown at half-mast across Kenya and in all diplomatic missions.
“As a mark of respect, I have postponed all my public engagements for the coming days to join the nation in this period of mourning and deep reflection,” the President said.
He added that Raila Odinga would be accorded a state funeral with full honours, describing him as “a patriot of uncommon courage, a colossus of modern politics, and a man whose ideals transcended power and politics.”
The Head of State called on Kenyans to unite in remembrance of Raila’s lifelong fight for democracy and justice.
“In his passing, we have lost a beacon of courage, a tower of principle, and a father of our democracy. Let us come together, as he always urged us to do, not as rivals, but as brothers and sisters bound by a shared destiny,” he said.
The Office of the President has confirmed that all government ceremonies, rallies, and political events scheduled for this week have been cancelled or deferred in line with the mourning directive.
Raila Odinga’s body will be flown home from India in the coming days, where the government will oversee a state funeral service, coordinated jointly with the Odinga family and a national funeral committee.
Flags across the country will remain at half-mast until the conclusion of the official mourning period.
