The final resting place for the late former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga is taking shape at his ancestral home in Kang’o ka Jaramogi, Bondo, Nyamira County.
The gravesite, set next to the mausoleum of his father, the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, is being readied ahead of Sunday’s burial.
On Thursday, Senator Oburu Oginga, Raila’s elder brother, led family members, close friends, and church leaders in prayers and in formally designating the burial location. He confirmed that the grave, situated approximately five metres from Jaramogi’s mausoleum, will hold Raila’s remains.
“This is the spot where Raila Amolo Odinga will be buried. We have already identified and sanctified it, and it lies right next to our father’s grave,” Oburu said after the religious ceremony.
Photos and videos from the homestead captured the family and clergy in solemn prayer near the mausoleum before marking the ground for excavation. Although the family had initially considered another section of the compound, they chose the site beside Jaramogi’s grave to respect Raila’s wish to rest near his father.
“We wanted to fulfil his wish and ensure that he is laid to rest beside our father, the first Vice President of the Republic of Kenya,” Oburu explained.
Footage also shows workers beginning preparations at the gravesite, with activity intensifying as the burial day approaches. Meanwhile, the public viewing of Raila’s body in Kisumu will be held at Jomo Kenyatta Stadium in Mamboleo, replacing the earlier plan to use Moi Stadium.
The funeral service is scheduled for Sunday morning at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology. Afterwards, the family will move to Kang’o ka Jaramogi for the burial. Members of the public are invited to attend the university service before the body is taken home for interment.
Oburu noted that the burial itself will be a private event attended by selected family and friends, following the rites of the Anglican Church of Kenya, as confirmed by Deputy President and State Funeral Committee co-chair Kithure Kindiki.