The late former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga will be buried on Sunday in a private ceremony at his family home in Opoda, Bondo, Siaya County, his family has confirmed.
Speaking to mourners on Thursday, Raila’s elder brother Dr. Oburu Oginga, who serves as co-chair of the State Funeral Committee and Siaya Senator, said the family decided to hold a private burial to honour their late brother’s wishes and family traditions.
“We will give Raila a dignified send-off which he deserves, as a dignified son of this land,” Dr. Oginga said. “The programme will end with a burial ceremony at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST), and then later on, Raila will be buried next to our mum and dad… in a private burial which will be attended only by a few people.”
The burial will follow a State funeral service at Nyayo Stadium on Saturday, expected to draw thousands of mourners, including local and international dignitaries.
The event will mark the culmination of a week of national mourning, with Friday declared a public holiday to honour the late ODM leader.
After the Nairobi service, 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 International Stadium in Mamboleo.
The body will then travel by road to Bondo, where it will lie overnight ahead of the Sunday burial, which will be conducted under the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) rites, according to Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, the State funeral committee’s co-chair.
