Change of plan as viewing of Raila body moved to Kasarani
Some of the mourners who passed by the Parliament Buildings on Thursday morning. Photo/Juma Namlola
The Kenya Airways plane carrying the body of the late opposition leader and former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga touched down at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Thursday at 9:40am.
Later, the body was transferred to Lee Funeral Home, marking the beginning of national mourning ahead of his State Funeral.
The Kenya Airways flight carrying the body touched down in Nairobi shortly after 9:30am from India, where Raila had been receiving treatment. The plane has been renamed RAO001.
The casket, draped in the national flag, was received by President William Ruto, senior government officials, and members of the Odinga family in a solemn military ceremony at JKIA.
After prayers and brief tributes, the casket was placed in a hearse under full military escort and driven out of the airport towards Lee Funeral Home, with hundreds of mourners lining the route.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, chair of the National Funeral Committee, had said the body was to lie in state at Parliament Buildings on Thursday for public viewing between 12noon and 5pm, with viewing areas designated for members of the public outside the precincts of Parliament.
However, following the surge in number of mourners, the government moved viewing of Raila’s body from Parliament to Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
A State Funeral Service will be held at Nyayo National Stadium on Friday, followed by a public procession and viewing in Kisumu on Saturday, before the burial on Sunday at the family’s home in Bondo, Siaya County.
Security was tightened along Mombasa Road, Uhuru Highway, and adjoining roads as the convoy made its way to Lee Funeral Home.
Many mourners, waving flags and carrying flowers, followed the procession on foot into the Nairobi Central Business District and walked all the way to Lee Funeral Home, singing liberation songs and chanting “Baba wa Taifa, Rest in Power.”
The atmosphere was one of deep emotion — a mix of grief, pride, and reflection on the legacy of the man many credited with shaping Kenya’s democratic journey.
