Nation Mourns as Odinga’s Body Arrives in Kenya

The body of former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi Thursday morning, October 16, 2025. Thousands of Kenyans turned out at the airport to pay respects. 

Kenya Airways flight KQ203, which repatriated the body from India, was received with a military water salute. 

President William Ruto, First Lady Rachel Ruto, former President Uhuru Kenyatta, Chief Justice Martha Koome, senior officials, and members of the Odinga family including Mama Ida Odinga were present at the arrival ceremony. 

The casket, draped with the national flag, was escorted by military pallbearers from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF). A 19-gun salute and full honours were part of the reception protocol. 

Historical & Political Context (Revised)

• Odinga died on October 15, 2025 in India after collapsing during a morning walk. 

• He was 80 years old. 

• The cause of death was cardiac arrest. 

• He had been undergoing Ayurvedic treatment in Kerala, India. 

• Odinga was a major pro-democracy figure in Kenya, having spent time in detention under the Moi regime, led reform movements, and played a key role in the 2010 constitutional process. 

State Funeral, Mourning & Arrangements

• President Ruto declared a 7-day period of national mourning. 

• Flags across the country (and Kenyan missions abroad) will fly at half-mast. 

• The government confirmed that Friday, October 17, 2025, will be a public holiday to facilitate the state funeral in Nairobi. 

• The funeral service will be held at Nyayo National Stadium, led by the Anglican Church, with full state and military honours. 

Four-day program summary (as of latest announcements):

• After the funeral, the body will return to Lee Funeral Home overnight before being flown to Kisumu on Saturday morning. 

• In Kisumu, the public viewing is set at Moi Stadium, followed by a motorcade to Bondo for a vigil. 

• Burial will combine state protocol and church traditions. 

Stakeholders, Tributes & Political Implications

• Leaders across Kenya and abroad have released statements of mourning and praise. 

• Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi was dispatched to India to oversee repatriation. 

• ODM (Odinga’s party) named Dr. Oburu Odinga the acting party leader in the interim. 

• Analysts project that Odinga’s death will leave a leadership gap in the opposition ahead of the 2027 elections.

• The party machinery, coalition arrangements, and regional support structures will likely undergo realignment.

What to Watch

• The tone and content of tributes at the state funeral will reveal how institutions and parties position themselves in this moment.

• Who emerges as the de facto political heir within ODM and Azimio will shape the opposition’s future direction.

• Whether the government ensures security and decorum across regions during these intense funeral events.

• The balance between Odinga’s burial timeline (within 72 hours, per his will) and state protocol constraints.