BONDO — In a somber display of political loyalty and personal grief, Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Sherrif Nassir led a high-powered delegation of coastal leaders to Bondo today for the burial of Beryl Achieng’ Odinga. The ceremony at the Kang’o ka Jaramogi homestead comes as a second devastating blow to the Odinga dynasty, occurring less than two months after the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga in October.

The atmosphere in Nyamira village was heavy with the weight of compounded loss. Governor Nassir, who serves as the ODM Deputy Party Leader, arrived flanked by MPs and MCAs from Mombasa, Kilifi, and Kwale counties. Their presence was not merely ceremonial; it was a calculated statement of continuity, signaling that the bond between the Coast and Nyanza regions remains unshaken even in the absence of the ODM patriarch.

A Break from Tradition

The burial has sparked intense cultural debate across the lake region. In a departure from strict Luo customs, which typically dictate that a married woman be buried at her husband’s home, Beryl is being laid to rest at her father’s homestead, next to her mother, Mama Mary Juma Odinga.

Family sources indicated the decision was made to honor Beryl’s wishes and protect her dignity, citing her difficult past marriage to the late Otieno Ambala. Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo fiercely defended the move earlier this week, challenging cultural purists. "Culture was made for man, not man for culture," Odhiambo noted, emphasizing that Beryl’s sanctuary was always her father’s home.

• The Deceased: Beryl Achieng’ Odinga, younger sister to Raila Odinga.
• The Controversy: Buried at her father's home (Kang'o ka Jaramogi) instead of her husband's home in Gem.
• The Legacy: First Black Town Clerk of Mutare, Zimbabwe.

The Zimbabwean Connection

While known locally as an Odinga, Beryl’s legacy transcends Kenyan borders. She was a trailblazer in Zimbabwe, where she fled in the 1980s. She made history as the first black Town Clerk of Mutare, Zimbabwe’s third-largest city, playing a pivotal role in the country's post-independence urban planning.

"She was not just a sister to our leader; she was a pan-Africanist in her own right," Governor Nassir told mourners. "To lose Baba in October and now Beryl in November is a test of faith, but the Coast stands with Siaya. We are one family."

As the body was lowered, the focus shifted briefly from the past to the future. With the ODM party still navigating its first major transition without its founder, Nassir’s visible leadership role today suggests the coastal bloc is ready to play a central part in steering the party's future.