- The air around JOOUST trembled with emotion as mourners broke into heartbreaking wails when Raila Odinga’s casket began its final journey to Opoda Farm
- Women wept openly, men raised flags high through their tears, and the crowd’s cries echoed across the university grounds
- For them, the harsh reality was dawning that it was the last time they were seeing the body of the man they had adored for decades
A cloud of grief hung heavily over Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST) as thousands of mourners gathered to bid a final farewell to Raila Odinga.
Source: UGC
As the motorcade bearing the casket began its slow, solemn journey toward Opoda Farm, anguished cries rose from the crowd.
Tears flowed over Raila’s departure
Women beat their chests, young men waved flags soaked in tears, and elders stood silently with bowed heads, each sound blending into a collective wail that echoed across the university grounds.
They clutched small portraits of the former Prime Minister, the tears in their eyes evident that the death had broken something inside them.
For many, the harsh reality was dawning that it was the last time they were seeing the body of the man fondly known as Baba.
With the final farewell set to be a private burial by close family and political leaders, they will never see him again.
A sea of emotion and memory
The air was thick with emotion. The university, where Raila had presided over countless youth mentorship forums, turned into a sea of humanity, a mix of gratitude, disbelief, and pride.
Choirs sang hymns of liberation as the convoy snaked its way past waving crowds on the road to Opoda Farm.
Security officers struggled to hold back mourners who surged forward to touch the hearse while others whispered prayers through trembling lips.
For the thousands lining the roads, today was not just the end of a political chapter, it was the closing line of a lifelong love story between Raila Odinga and his people.
Source: UGC
KQ pilot sings Raila’s favorite song on Paris flight
Elsewhere, emotions ran high onboard KQ 113 from Paris to Nairobi when the pilot picked up the mic and began to sing “Jamaican Farewell,” Raila Odinga’s favorite song.
The flight went quiet as Captain Webster Otugha’s voice filled the cabin in a moment of reflection over the loss.
Jamaican Farewell, which has gained popularity since Raila’s demise, is a gentle ballad about departure, longing, and the bittersweet passage of time.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
