NAIROBI, Kenya – The late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga will be laid to rest on Sunday in a private burial at his ancestral home in Bondo, Siaya County, his family has announced.
Speaking during a gathering of mourners in Bondo on Thursday, Raila’s elder brother and Siaya Senator Dr. Oburu Oginga said the final rites will follow a ceremony at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST).
Dr. Oginga, who co-chairs the State funeral committee, said the family opted for a quiet interment attended only by a few close relatives and friends.
“We will give Raila a dignified send-off which he deserves, as a dignified son of this land,” Oburu said. “The programme will end with a ceremony at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, and later Raila will be buried next to our parents in a private ceremony attended by only a few people.”
The Senator also addressed confusion surrounding earlier statements about Raila’s health prior to the official confirmation of his death, saying the family had remained hopeful of his recovery until the very end.
Final Journey
A State funeral service will be held on Saturday at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi, where dignitaries, including several foreign leaders, are expected to attend.
Following the ceremony, the body will be taken to Raila’s Karen home for an overnight vigil before being flown to Kisumu on Saturday morning for public viewing at the Jomo Kenyatta Stadium in Mamboleo.
From Kisumu, the funeral procession will travel by road to Bondo for another overnight stay ahead of Sunday’s burial.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, who co-chairs the State funeral committee, said the burial service will be conducted according to the traditions of the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK).
Thousands of mourners are expected to line the roads from Kisumu to Bondo to pay their final respects to the man who dominated Kenya’s political landscape for over four decades.
