NAIROBI, Kenya – ODM party leader Dr. Oburu Odinga has defended the Odinga family’s decision to bury his late sister, Beryl Odinga, at their Kango Ka Jaramogi home in Bondo, saying the choice honours both tradition and the guidance left behind by their late father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.
The decision has stirred debate within the Luo community, where custom traditionally dictates that an unmarried woman be buried outside the main homestead, and a married woman at her husband’s home.
Speaking in Bondo, Oburu acknowledged the concerns but insisted the family had not deviated from Luo customs.
“We know our traditions, and we respect them,” he said. “Our sister will be buried with her head facing the gate, as the culture requires. We are keeping every rite except one.”
The only variation, he explained, is the burial site itself. Beryl will be interred within the family’s designated cemetery—an area Jaramogi identified as the final resting place for all members of his household.
“The world has changed, and land is no longer what it used to be,” Oburu said. “Our father showed us where every member of the family should be buried. We are simply following that guidance.”
He appealed to community elders for understanding, saying the decision was driven by respect rather than rebellion.
“If this appears to go against what has been done traditionally, we ask for your understanding. Times have changed, and we must balance tradition with present-day realities.”
Community Split Over Burial Customs
The burial arrangement has sparked discussion among Luo cultural custodians, some of whom insist that traditional burial rituals—including specific locations and ancestral rites—should be strictly observed.
Critics argue that failure to adhere fully to custom risks eroding cultural norms.
But Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo rejected that criticism, accusing detractors of selective application of tradition.
“All those who firmly opine that Beryl Odinga should be buried according to Luo customs, please confirm that your six lower teeth have been removed in strict conformity to culture,” she said. “If not, you are ‘boiling’—iwalo,” she added, using a Luo phrase commonly associated with hypocrisy.
Celebrated Life, Historic Family Legacy
Beryl Odinga, the younger sister of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, died on November 25 while receiving treatment at a Nairobi hospital.
A distinguished professional who worked across Kenya and Zimbabwe, she is remembered as a trailblazer whose career spanned continents.
Her burial is scheduled for Saturday, December 6, at the Odinga family cemetery in Kang’o Ka Jaramogi, next to the grave of her late mother, Mama Mary Juma Odinga.
The final burial plan was confirmed by Raila Odinga Junior after consultations with family elders, including Dr. Oburu Oginga.
Two of Jaramogi’s widows, Betty and Susan Oginga, and Beryl’s stepbrother Omondi Odinga participated in the deliberations.
