Raila sought to cut funereal fanfare to 72 hours, but politicos in search of optics stretch it
Opinion
By
Peter Kimani
| Oct 17, 2025
As if anticipating the drama that would follow upon the event of his death, Raila Amolo Odinga required that his remains be laid to rest within three days, effectively signalling his aversion to funereal fanfare that dominates Kenya’s politicos.
Given his stature in Kenyan politics, there is a possibility that mourning may have lasted days, even weeks, punctuated by cultural rites in which throngs of mourners would descend on his homestead for days and nights on end. Now it seems everything will be collapsed into a few tight days to accommodate the 72-hour window.
Which is why some Kenyans are querying why a strong delegation of politicians was flown to Bombay on a luxury jet, only to stay on tarmac for two hours before embarking on the journey back with Raila’s remains. It doesn’t help matters that the Indian government had offered to repatriate Raila’s body, presumably at no cost at all.
Such proposition wouldn’t have produced the desired political optics, such as Prezzo Bill Ruto receiving the body at the airport, followed by a solemn speech, before leading the convoy to Parliament for public viewing.
In the event, Raila’s legion followers descended on the airport and disrupted all that, subverting political choreography and diverting the procession to Kasarani Stadium, a place that Raila regularly visited as an ardent football fan and occasional commentator—using footie analogy to explain his political calculations.
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I suppose Raila would have been pleased with the way things turned out; the stadium was full to the rafters and the unexpected twists and turns imitated his political chess game. There was no telling which way he would turn, whenever he made a move. Neither were his supporters’ actions.
With a State funeral this weekend, and week-long national mourning, during which flags will be at half-mast, Raila, the people’s President, to use the moniker applied when he swore himself into office in a mock ceremony in 2017, rises to full glory in death.
Indeed, he was connected with the masses; they have returned the favour in his passing. Now it remains to be seen if his life and legacy will springboard a generation of activists committed to social change that he embodied and lived for.