When the body of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga was lowered into the grave on Sunday evening, most of the dignitaries and security officers who had attended the solemn ceremony quickly left. But one man lingered: former President Uhuru Kenyatta .
Unknown to many, Mr Kenyatta did not immediately return home. On Monday, he quietly made his way back to Kang’o Ka Jaramogi in Bondo, Siaya County, for a private visit to his longtime friend’s final resting place.
Shortly after midday, his motorcade pulled into the Odinga family cemetery at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Mausoleum, catching the attention of mourners and security personnel. Dressed simply in a green long-sleeve rugby shirt, khaki trousers and apair of black sneakers, the former Head of State walked slowly to the gravesite, accompanied by close friends and members of the Odinga family.
Former president Uhuru Kenyatta and his entourage at Kang'o Ka Jaramogi in Bondo on October 20, 2025.
Photo credit: Alex Odhiambo | Nation Media Group
Naftali Akello Ogwela, a long-time family friend, received Mr Kenyatta’s entourage. Standing by the grave, they offered brief prayers, recited Hail Mary, and made the sign of the cross. Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga, Raila’s elder brother, soon joined them in prayer. The moment ended with Mr Kenyatta lifting his hand in a gesture of farewell and respect.
Afterwards, the group proceeded to the nearby residence of Mary Juma Odinga, Raila’s mother, within the same compound.
Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga joined her brother, Dr Oginga, and Mr Kenyatta for a brief private meeting. According to Ismael Noo, a close confidant of the Odingas, the visit carried deep personal and symbolic meaning. “Given that all attention had been on the burial itself, he felt it important to return and officially extend the Kenyatta family’s condolences to Raila’s family,” he said.
Uhuru visits Raila's grave a day after burial
Following the private visit, Mr Kenyatta travelled to Opoda Farm to meet Raila’s widow, Ida Odinga. Earlier that morning, Ms Odinga had also visited her husband’s grave briefly before returning home.
Mr Kenyatta had been among the dignitaries who attended Raila’s funeral on Sunday, and it is believed he spent the night either in Kisumu or at Little Gem Resort in Siaya. Days earlier, he had received Odinga’s body at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, attended the public viewing at Kasarani Stadium, and later visited the Odinga family home in Karen, Nairobi.
Mr Odinga and Mr Kenyatta shared a friendship that stretches back decades – a bond rooted not only in personal camaraderie but in legacy. Both were sons of the nation’s founding fathers, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, the first president and first vice president of Kenya.
Former president Uhuru Kenyatta and his entourage at Kang'o Ka Jaramogi in Bondo on October 20, 2025.
Photo credit: Alex Odhiambo | Nation Media Group
In 2013 and 2017, the scions of two of Kenya’s foremost political families stood on opposing sides as main presidential contenders. The 2017 election was followed by a period of unrest and uncertainty. However, they later reconciled, marking a turning point in Kenya’s political landscape.
