Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has announced the official four-day State Funeral programme for the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
In an update on Wednesday, October 15, Kindiki, who is also the chair of the State Funeral Committee for Raila, said the former Prime Minister's burial will take place on Sunday, October 19, at his Opoda farm in Bondo, Siaya County.
According to the programme, the body of Raila will depart from Mumbai at 2am on Thursday, October 16, and arrive in Nairobi at 8:30am, where it will be received by President William Ruto at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
From there, it will be taken to Lee Funeral Home at 10am before being moved to Parliament Buildings between 12pm and 5pm for public viewing.
In the evening, the body will return to Lee Funeral Home for overnight preservation.
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Kindiki said the State Funeral will officially begin on Friday, October 17, with a national service at Nyayo Stadium, which will bring together dignitaries from across the world to honour the former Prime Minister.
"On Friday from 8am, there will be a state funeral service of the late Raila Odinga at Nyayo Stadium. This state funeral service is expected to be attended by dignitaries and VVIPs from outside Kenya.
"It is a state event and it will be conducted in accordance with the protocols of state events to give respect to the stature of our fallen hero," he said.
Kindiki added that after the service, the body will be taken to the family’s Karen home for an overnight stay, marking the conclusion of the Nairobi segment of the funeral programme.
On Saturday, October 18, the DP said Raila's body will leave for Kisumu where there will be a public viewing at Moi Stadium between 9am and 3pm.
"That state funeral service once concluded, will then lead to the body being moved to the Karen home of Raila Odinga for an overnight stay.
"On Saturday, the body will leave Nairobi for Kisumu early in the morning. There shall be public viewing of the body of the late Prime Minister at Moi Stadium in Kisumu between 9am and 3pm after which the body will travel by road from Kisumu City to Bondo for an overnight stay," he added.
Kindiki confirmed that the burial ceremony on Sunday will be conducted by the Anglican Church in accordance with Raila's faith and family traditions.
"The burial of the late Prime Minister Raila Odinga will take place on Sunday and will be conducted according to the traditions of the Anglican Church to which Raila Odinga belonged. I pray that we will all give the family the dignity they deserve, even as they struggle to bear with the moment of grief," he stated.
Kindiki further revealed that the government has respected Odinga’s personal wish to be buried within 72 hours of his death.
"In that connection, public grieving spaces will be created in various places, especially within Nairobi and also other areas, as will be announced, where members of the public can follow proceedings on big screens and participate in grieving and mourning our departed leader," he further said.
Raila passed away on Wednesday morning at the age of 80 at a facility in Kochi, India.
He reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest during a morning walk at an Ayurvedic treatment facility and was later pronounced dead.
Earlier Wednesday, Ruto declared seven days of national mourning following Raila's death.
According to the Head of State, during this period, all flags will fly at half-mast at the State House and all Kenyan diplomatic posts around the world.
"In honor of the right honorable Raila Odinga and his immense contribution to the nation of Kenya, I have declared a 7 day period of mourning across Kenya during which the national flag shall fly at half-mast across the nation and in our missions abroad," he said.
Ruto also revealed that he has postponed all his public engagements for the coming days.
"As a mark of respect, I have postponed all my public engagements for the coming days, and I ask all the other public servants and leaders to do the same so we can join the country in mourning," he added.
