President William Ruto and former President Uhuru Kenyatta led thousands of mourners on Saturday in paying their final respects to Kenya’s former Prime Minister, Raila Amolo Odinga, during a moving funeral service held at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST) in Bondo, Siaya County. The service brought together leaders from across the political divide and international dignitaries, reflecting the immense influence Odinga held in Kenyan and African politics.
President Ruto and former President Kenyatta arrived together, joined by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and other African leaders in a rare moment of unity. The President was received by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, Chief of Defence Forces General Charles Kahariri, and other senior military officials before viewing the body.
The Odinga family—led by Mama Ida Odinga and joined by Oburu Odinga, Ruth, Rosemary, Winnie, and Raila Junior—had arrived earlier to receive mourners and family friends. The atmosphere was somber but dignified, as Kenyans gathered to honor a man who shaped the country’s democratic struggle for decades.
Several prominent political figures attended the funeral, including Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Narc Kenya’s Martha Karua, DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa, and former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i. Cabinet Secretaries present included Aden Duale (Health), Hassan Joho (Mining), Davis Chirchir (Infrastructure), Soipan Tuya (Defence), and Kipchumba Murkomen (Interior).
Also in attendance were National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, Senate Speaker Amason Kingi, Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, Minority Leader Junet Mohammed, and Senators Edwin Sifuna and Tom Ojienda. Their presence demonstrated the broad respect Raila Odinga commanded across Kenya’s political spectrum.
Former Ugandan Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda was also among the mourners, highlighting Odinga’s regional and continental influence as a Pan-African statesman.
The funeral service drew thousands of citizens from all walks of life who gathered on the university grounds to celebrate the life and legacy of the late opposition leader. Odinga passed away on Wednesday in India at the age of 80, following a cardiac arrest.
Following the service, Raila Odinga was scheduled to be laid to rest at his Opoda Farm home in Bondo, where family, friends, and supporters gathered to bid farewell to a man whose courage, vision, and resilience helped shape Kenya’s political and democratic landscape.
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