- A video has offered a glimpse of the family cemetery at Kang’o Ka Jaramogi, where Raila Odinga will be buried
- The cemetery hosts graves of Raila’s family members, including his father Jaramogi, his mother Mary, son Fidel, and siblings
- Mathew Otieno, curator of the Jaramogi Mausoleum, shared the burial order, explaining the arrangement of the graves
A video has offered an emotional glimpse into the family cemetery at Kang’o Ka Jaramogi, in the Opoda Farm, the ancestral home of Raila Odinga’s family in Bondo, where the late ODM leader will be laid to rest.
Source: Youtube
Citizen TV took a tour of the home and showcased the serene and solemn resting place that will soon host the grave of the political icon.
Raila Odinga’s final resting site
The cemetery, which is deeply significant to the Odinga family, already houses the graves of several prominent family members.
Among those buried there are Raila’s father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Kenya’s first Vice President, who passed away in 1994, and his mother, Mary Odhiambo Odinga, who died in 1984.
Raila’s son, Fidel Odinga, who passed away in 2015, is also laid to rest there, as well as his sibling Fredrick Odima, who died at the age of 21 in 1971.
Mathew Otieno, the curator of the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Mausoleum, provided insights into the cemetery’s arrangement during an interview at the site.
He explained that Raila’s mother’s grave is positioned at the top of the cemetery, with the graves of other family members arranged according to their order of age.
Will Raila be buried next to his mother’s grave?
Otieno further clarified that, while it was not known whether Raila had specifically wished to be buried next to his mother, he had not received such instructions from Raila’s eldest brother, Oburu Oginga.
Otieno also shared a personal memory of Raila, describing him as a supportive and thoughtful leader.
“He has been my boss for a long time. It is a very big blow to me. He is the one who made me who I am today. He never ignored my phone calls despite being a dignitary. I have been with this for 20 years,” Otieno said.
Video:
Order of activities before Raila Odinga’s burial
Raila’s final farewell will follow a detailed sequence of events, beginning with a state funeral service at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi on Friday, October 17. On Saturday, October 18, there will be a public viewing in Kisumu, allowing Kenyans from all walks of life to pay their respects.
Afterwards, Raila’s body will be transported by road to his rural home in Bondo, where it will stay overnight.
The burial on Sunday will combine state protocols with the traditions of the Anglican Church, to which Raila belonged.
Did Ruth Odinga cry at Raila’s homecoming?
As reported earlier, the airplane carrying Raila’s remains arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at 9:30 am local time, aboard Kenya Airways flight RAO001, which was accorded a water salute.
A crowd of mourners had gathered on the taxiway, many struggling to process the devastating loss of the beloved politician.
Source: Twitter
Raila’s sister, Ruth Odinga, who had been with him in India when he passed, was visibly overcome with emotion as his body was brought from the aircraft.
She stood next to Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who offered her comfort by holding her hand as they left the plane.
Ruth eventually broke down in tears, shaking her head and whispering, while Mudavadi attempted to console her.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
