Raila to cut short his US trip, return for Kibaki’s funeral
Raila Odinga (left) when he paid former President Mwai Kibaki a courtesy call at Kibaki's Muthaiga residence. Raila will cut short his ongoing US trip and travel back on Wednesday ahead of Kibaki’s state funeral.
Azimio la Umoja One Kenya presidential hopeful Raila Odinga will cut short his week-long trip to the United States and travel back on Wednesday to attend the burial of former President Mwai Kibaki.
The former Prime Minister, who inked a grand coalition deal with President Kibaki after the 2007/08 post-election chaos, left Kenya on Friday, April 22, and was to return on Friday, April 29.
"Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition flag-bearer Raila Odinga will cut short his ongoing US trip and travel back home on Wednesday ahead of the state burial of the former President Mwai Kibaki," Mr Odinga's presidential campaign secretariat said in a statement on Monday.
President Kibaki will be laid to rest on Saturday at his home in Othaya, Nyeri County, while a State funeral service will be held on Friday at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi.
On Monday, President Uhuru Kenyatta led the nation in the public viewing of the body of the late Kibaki, which is lying in state at the Parliament buildings and will be viewed until Wednesday.
In Washington, DC, Mr Odinga on Sunday held talks with Alice Wairimu Nderitu, special adviser on the prevention of genocide to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
The ODM chief also engaged Kenyans in the diaspora, explaining to them what Azimio stands for and his vision for Kenya if he succeeds President Uhuru Kenyatta in the August 9 elections.
"A moving and fulfilling engagement with Kenyans in the diaspora who, like their kinfolk at home, want a better life for all our citizens," Mr Odinga said on his official Facebook page.
According to an itinerary released by Mr Odinga's presidential campaign secretariat spokesperson Prof Makau Mutua last week, the candidate was also set to meet senior US government officials as well as senior members of the US Congress.
He was also to hold talks with key African-American leaders and Kenyans in the US, and speak at think tanks.
Mr Odinga is accompanied by governors Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega) and James Ongwae (Kisii), Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua, former Aldai MP Dr Sally Kosgey, Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang, MPs Robert Mbui (Kathiani), John Mbadi (Suba South), Opondo Kaluma (Homa Bay Town) and Esther Passaris (Nairobi woman rep), Prof Mutua and Kenya’s former ambassador to the US, Elkanah Odembo, among others.
Mr Odinga was to use the tour to outline his vision for Kenya, underline the importance of strategic and historic US-Kenya relations and the vital interests that the two countries share.
Before cutting short the tour, the ODM chief was to head to Silicon Valley, San Francisco, where he was to hold talks with leaders and entrepreneurs in technology with the aim of promoting partnerships.
