A Kenya Airways flight transporting the body of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga from India to Nairobi on Wednesday night captured global attention, becoming the most monitored flight worldwide on Flightradar.
The aircraft, KQA203, left Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) at 6:30 p.m., carrying a delegation sent to oversee the repatriation process. Within hours of take-off, it had drawn intense global interest, initially ranking second among the world’s most tracked flights before taking the top spot by midnight.
According to Flightradar’s live updates, more than 5,000 users were following the flight at around 7 a.m. East Africa Time. The plane touched down in Mumbai at approximately 1 a.m. before departing back to Nairobi at about 3:30 a.m. It was expected to arrive at JKIA around 9:30 a.m. Thursday morning.
Odinga, aged 80, passed away in Kochi, India, where he had been receiving medical care for an undisclosed condition. He collapsed during a morning routine and was pronounced dead shortly after being taken to a hospital in the city.
His passing has sparked a wave of grief both in Kenya and abroad, with tributes flowing in from citizens, political leaders, and the international community.
President William Ruto declared seven days of national mourning, directing that the Kenyan flag be flown at half-mast across the country and in all embassies to honour the former Prime Minister.
The government has confirmed that Raila Odinga will be accorded a state funeral and laid to rest on Sunday, October 19, as per his wish to be buried within 72 hours of his death.