Behind the brief press conferences held by the team organising former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s funeral were moments of tough decisions and lengthy consultations, the Natio n has learnt.
Comprising 15 members, two of them being the co-chairs, the team burnt the midnight oil to plan the send-off of one of Kenya’s most consequential politicians.
The co-chairs were Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and Mr Odinga’s elder brother, Dr Oburu Oginga. Other members included four Cabinet Secretaries, four governors and four family representatives.
Apart from the family interest, there was also the party interest, which the committee had to factor in.
Prof Kindiki, therefore, played the central role as a neutral person in ensuring that all interests are accommodated.
“The Deputy President is neither a family member nor a member of ODM, so he was therefore there to provide a neutral position that benefits all parties,’ said the source.
According to the source, although there was no initial plan to view the body at Nyayo Stadium, they had to cater for Odinga's national supporters. The locals were also catered for in Bondo.
There was also the international community, which the committee also had to cater for, which is why the Deputy President recognised all the foreign leaders that were present at Nyayo Stadium and were even given an opportunity to pay their last respect to Odinga. Those who were absent, their apologies were also read in public, just to show that Odinga was a global leader.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki (centre) speaks, joined by members of the national funeral committee overseeing the burial arrangements of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga at the DP's official residence in Karen, Nairobi, on October 15, 2025.
Photo credit: Wilfred Nyangaresi | Nation Media Group Photo: 1/1
In the meetings that the Nation has learnt some went up to midnight, all the factors had to be carefully balanced and all parties satisfied within the shortest time possible to deliver a State burial for the former Prime Minister.
For the State, it was its primary role to ensure Mr Odinga got a decent State send-off and all resources were provided by President William Ruto to ensure that this is achieved.
The State was, however, operating in an environment where the ardent Odinga supporters would do everything to mourn their political hero in their own way.
“Raila Junior WhatsApped me saying the will of their father is that he must be buried within 72 hours. Here we were trying to balance between the Will, where he is, culture and the State. It was not easy. That we are here to pay our last respect is because of the grace of God,” President Ruto said.
Based on the outpouring of messages of condolences received from various Heads of State across the world, the committee was aware that the funeral arrangement was being followed closely across the globe and therefore could not allow petty local politics to cloud the event.
At the heart of these meetings was Prof Kindiki, who co-chaired the deliberations in close consultations with Dr Oginga.
“The Deputy President was really helpful. His attention to detail and planning skills are top-notch. Sometimes we would go up to midnight and he never [got] tired,” said a source in the committee.
Raila Odinga honoured with 17-gun salute in final farewell
From time to time, the committee also had to reach out to Mr Odinga’s widow, Ida, on the progress made in case she had any input that needed to be discussed before the team addressed the media.
Being now the senior-most leader in the Odinga family, Dr Oginga was also instrumental, and the team believed that he would also speak to the thousands of mourners and have his instructions followed.
On Friday, Dr Oginga purposely addressed the mourners in Dholuo to ensure the public viewing that was scheduled for Saturday went on smoothly.
“I know you are mourning, and it is painful, but I want to appeal to you, nyikwa Ramogi , to be peaceful so that we can give our leader a decent burial. He loved peace, and we should give him peace even in death,” Dr Oginga said during the committee’s Thursday night briefing. “I don’t want to see a situation where people are teargassed. Raila has been teargassed enough while he was alive. He should not be teargassed even in death.”
Military personnel during the burial service of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University on October 19, 2025.
Photo credit: Sila Kiplagat | Nation Media Group
The team described the Deputy President as a perfectionist who did not want any blot in the process of giving Mr Odinga the perfect send-off as a statesman.
In the meetings, the team was also aware that some leaders were planning to seize the opportunity to score political points by ensuring their political opponents within the larger ODM party are jeered — especially in Kisumu.
This is the reason, according to our source, that Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omolo was dispatched on Friday to Kisumu to ensure that everything from security arrangements and preparations was okay at Mamboleo ground where the body of Odinga was slated for public viewing.
A portrait of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga is placed next to his coffin during a funeral Mass at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology in Bondo, Siaya County, Kenya, October 19, 2025.
Photo credit: Thomas Mukoya | Reuters
The initial plan was to allow at least some local leaders to address the crowd at the stadium, but this was shelved upon realisation that the move would turn the public viewing into a political stage.
On the burial day, the committee was fully aware that politics was going to take centre stage, and ODM Chairperson Gladys Wanga, as the master of ceremonies, was aware of the task ahead of her.
Alego Usonga Sam Atandi had also warned anybody who was planning to chant “wantam”, a slogan meant to declare that Dr Ruto won’t win the next General Election.
“We have issued a warning that if someone has sent you to chant ‘wantam’ to President William Ruto, then it will be up to you. You will pay with your body. We don’t want embarrassment when the President is around. He has done us good. He has accorded Raila dignity. Raila has been buried like the King he was,” Mr Atandi said.
