Kenya prepares to receive the remains of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, with the body scheduled to arrive Thursday morning from Mumbai, India, aboard a Kenya Airways flight.
President William Ruto is set to lead government officials in welcoming the late leader at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), after which the body will be moved to Lee Funeral Home for final preparations.
Following arrangements at Lee Funeral Home, Raila’s remains will be transported to Parliament to lie in state, giving Kenyans an opportunity to pay their respects.
In the evening, the body will return to the Odinga family residence in Karen for an overnight stay.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, co-chair of the National Funeral Committee, confirmed that it was Raila Odinga’s wish to be laid to rest within seventy-two hours of his passing. “However, given that his demise occurred outside the country, certain logistical considerations and formalities will understandably affect the timelines,” Kindiki said.
The committee outlined the schedule of events leading up to the burial as follows:
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1:00 a.m. Thursday – Delegation arrives in Mumbai.
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2:00 a.m. Thursday – Departure from Mumbai.
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8:30 a.m. Thursday – Arrival at JKIA.
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10:00 a.m. Thursday – Transfer to Lee Funeral Home.
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12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Thursday – Public viewing at Parliament.
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Evening Thursday – Overnight stay at Karen residence.
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Friday, 8:00 a.m. – State Funeral service at Nyayo Stadium, followed by overnight stay at Karen home.
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Saturday – Procession to Kisumu for public viewing at Moi Stadium (9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.), then overnight stay in Bondo.
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Sunday – Burial at the family’s Opoda farm, fulfilling Raila Odinga’s wish to be laid to rest within 72 hours after his passing.
The timeline was carefully planned in collaboration with the family to respect the former Prime Minister’s final wishes while managing the practicalities of repatriation from India.