The late former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga will be laid to rest beside his father, the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, at their Kang’o ka Jaramogi homestead in Bondo, Siaya County, this Sunday, October 19.
Confirming the details, Raila’s elder brother and Siaya Senator Dr. Oburu Odinga said the burial will be a private ceremony attended by a limited number of close family members and invited guests.
“Raila will be buried near our father’s mausoleum, as per the family’s final decision,” Oburu stated during preparations at their Bondo home on Thursday.
Although Raila had reportedly expressed a wish to be buried next to his late mother, Mary Juma Odinga, who died in 1984, the family opted for a resting place close to Jaramogi’s mausoleum.
Grave preparation began on Thursday evening at 7:04 p.m., after the site was identified at Raila’s Opoda Farm. The chosen spot is about five metres from his father’s tomb, with plans underway to construct a mausoleum in Raila’s honour.
President William Ruto was among the dignitaries who paid their last respects at Kasarani Stadium on Thursday, October 16, during the public viewing of the late opposition leader’s body.
According to family sources, traditional Luo customs will guide the burial process. Elders and clan leaders will oversee the ceremonies, including prayers, blessings, and the pouring of libations to honour ancestors and ensure the peaceful transition of Raila’s spirit.
One of the key cultural rites, Tero Buru, will also be performed to cleanse the homestead and symbolically mark the end of mourning. The ritual, traditionally done in two phases before and after burial, is considered vital in Luo culture to restore balance after death.
As preparations continue in Bondo, local leaders and community members have described the ceremony as a moment of deep reflection and honour for a man whose political and social influence shaped Kenya’s modern history.
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