Massive Crowds Mourn Raila Odinga as Kenya Bids Farewell to Iconic Leader

Tens of thousands of mourners gathered in Kisumu, western Kenya, on Saturday to pay their final respects to the late Raila Odinga, one of the nation’s most influential political figures. Odinga, aged 80, passed away in India from a suspected heart attack, prompting widespread grief across Kenya.

Emotional scenes unfolded as crowds chanted “Baba” (father) and surged to glimpse the coffin upon its arrival by helicopter. Despite earlier tragedies that left at least five people dead during previous ceremonies in Nairobi, Saturday’s event remained more orderly, with emergency teams assisting over 100 fainting attendees.

Odinga, who served as Kenya’s Prime Minister from 2008 to 2013, played a key role in restoring multi-party democracy and advancing the 2010 constitution. His passing leaves a leadership vacuum in the opposition, with uncertainty looming ahead of the 2027 elections.

Following the public mourning in Kisumu, Odinga’s body was moved to Bondo in Siaya County for a private family burial. His death marks the end of an era for Kenya’s reformist politics and the beginning of an uncertain chapter in the nation’s democratic journey.

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