Thousands of Kenyans have this morning flocked Nyayo National Stadium for the state funeral of the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, a titan of the country’s political landscape.
President William Ruto is overseeing the ceremony, which has drawn citizens from across the country many of whom showed up hours before sunrise to get a seat and offer their last goodbye.
The atmosphere in the stadium is one of deep sorrow but restrained pride. The mourners wave flags, sing songs of freedom, and lift up pictures of Raila some with tears in their eyes, others simply standing stoically as the proceedings take place.
Not only have Kenyans come out to honor the man that many lovingly call “Baba,” but also African heads of state are in Nairobi. This only goes to show how significant Raila was not just to Kenya, but to the region as well.
Ethiopian President Taye Atske Selassie and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud are already at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. They were received by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and whisked away to the venue.
Tanzania has sent its previous President Jakaya Kikwete and Vice President Philip Mpango to represent it. Former Kenyan Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, who delayed a scheduled visit to the UK to be present for today’s ceremony, personally received them.
“This is not politics,” Kalonzo tells reporters. “This is goodbye to a brother, a comrade, a man who gave everything for this nation.”
South Sudan is being represented by Vice President Rebecca de Mabior for President Salva Kiir. President Paul Kagame of Rwanda has been represented by Interior Minister Vincent Biruta.
In a statement being read at the service, Kagame remembers Raila as a man who “stood for democracy, justice, and unity not just in Kenya, but for the entirety of Africa.”
In the stadium, the official program is under way, with moving tributes by relatives and leaders. Some have already walked up to the coffin, which rests in the middle of the stadium, draped in the Kenyan flag.
Raila’s wife, Mama Ida Odinga, is present and receiving visiting dignitaries with grace and in silent strength.
She is surrounded by her children and immediate family members and is struggling to fight back tears as speakers narrate her husband’s life-long struggle and sacrifice.
Even though the ceremony has started, people are still streaming in some carrying flowers, others with placards written “Thank you, Raila.”
The sun shines over Nairobi today, though the mood is subdued. For many here, this is more than a funeral. It’s a closing of a chapter and the beginning of life without one of Kenya’s longest-lasting political voices.
