- Stephen Letoo described the emotional moments as Raila Odinga’s body was received in India before being flown home
- The plane remained running as prayers were held before the casket was placed into the Kenya Airways flight back to Nairobi
- The Citizen TV journalist said the body was not viewed in India, as it had only been placed in a temporary casket for transport
TUKO.co.ke journalist Harry Ivan Mboto has over three years of experience reporting on politics and current affairs in Kenya
Moments after President William Ruto broke the news of the passing of Raila Odinga, a delegation was quickly dispatched to retrieve his body in India.
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Citizen TV journalist Stephen Letoo has given a moving account of the sombre moments that unfolded in India when the Kenyan delegation arrived.
Letoo, who was part of the media team that accompanied government and family representatives, said the atmosphere at the airport was heavy with grief and disbelief.
According to him, the events happened so quickly that even those present struggled to process the reality of Raila’s passing.
“When we landed, the first thing I saw was the coffin. The next person I saw was Maurice Ogeta. There were four people surrounding the coffin, and many Indian military officers around,” Letoo recounted.
He described the scene as deeply emotional, with the delegation immediately breaking into prayers around the flag-draped casket.
Within a short time, the arrangements were made to bring the body back home.
“The plane was never switched off. Its engine kept running. The moment we got there, we prayed with the body, which was draped in the Kenyan flag, and it was placed straight into the luggage section of the Kenya Airways plane,” he said.
Why Kenyan delegation to India did not view Raila’s body
Letoo clarified that the delegation did not view Raila’s body while in India, as it was not yet prepared for public viewing.
“The body was not prepared for viewing. It was placed in a temporary casket for transportation back home. We assumed that once we arrived in Kenya, that’s when viewing would happen,” he explained.
The journalist went on to share a touching interaction with Ogeta, Raila’s long-time bodyguard and aide, who had accompanied the former prime minister in his final days.
“The first words Ogeta told me were, ‘Mzee ametuwacha, siamini’ (Mzee has left us, I can’t believe it). I hugged him and told him, ‘Let’s be strong. This is our last assignment, we can’t be weak. Play your part and I’ll play mine, just like we did during campaigns.’ And that’s what we did. Despite the pain, we carried on — for Baba,” Letoo said emotionally.
Letoo recalls emotional moments of Winnie with Raila’s hat
He revealed that the mourning period was especially difficult, filled with sleepless nights and early mornings, as the delegation felt a deep duty to honour Raila one last time through their work.
Among the most heartbreaking sights for Letoo was the state of Winnie Odinga, Raila’s daughter, who had been with him in his final hours.
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He said Winnie appeared inconsolable and held tightly onto her father’s signature hat, an item that had become an inseparable part of his identity.
“She kept holding the hat. She would put it down for a few seconds, then grab it back. To Winnie, that hat was her father. And when we landed, she presented it to her mother like a baby,” Letoo recalled.
Where was Raila buried?
Following Raila’s death, President William Ruto announced seven days of mourning the democracy icon.
Raila was laid to rest at his Kang’o Ka Jaramogi ancestral home in Bondo, Siaya county.
The event, held on Sunday, October 19, was attended by Ruto, former president Uhuru Kenyatta among other dignitaries.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
