Plane carrying Raila’s body lands in Bondo after emotional public viewing at Mamboleo Stadium
While authorities opted for airlifting to ensure timely arrival and minimise logistical challenges, some residents wanted the body to be transported by road, as originally planned by the government.
The plane carrying Raila Odinga'a remains landed at Bondo, Siaya County, at around 4:20 pm, after a six-hour public viewing exercise at Mamboleo Grounds in Kisumu.
The public viewing concluded at 3:10 PM, marking a poignant moment for thousands of mourners who had gathered to pay their final respects.
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Following the conclusion of the viewing, Raila’s body was carefully wheeled onto a military aircraft, attended by an official guard of honour. The air was filled with chants of “Jowi,” wailing, and the sound of trumpets, as crowds watched the proceedings with emotions still running high.
At around 3:50 pm, the aircraft departed Kisumu for Opoda Farm in Bondo, where the body will remain overnight ahead of the burial ceremony scheduled for Sunday, October 19, 2025.
While authorities opted for airlifting to ensure timely arrival and minimise logistical challenges, some residents wanted the body to be transported by road, as originally planned by the government.
They argued that a road procession would have allowed more people along the route to witness the farewell, making the journey a more public tribute to the late leader.
Originally, the plan was to transport Raila’s body by road to Bondo after the viewing. However, due to massive crowds and narrow single-lane roads along the 75-kilometre route, authorities announced at 1:10 pm that the body would instead be airlifted to Opoda Farm in Bondo for an overnight stay ahead of the burial ceremony.
The body of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga was airlifted to his Opoda Farm in Bondo, Siaya County, ahead of his burial on Sunday at Kang'o Ka Jaramogi. (Photo: Screengrab)
Earlier in the day, the public had begun viewing the remains at Mamboleo Grounds at 9:40 am, following the arrival of the body in Kisumu via military aircraft.
The careful management of the event ensured that thousands of mourners could honour Raila in a dignified and orderly manner.
Raila will be laid to rest at Kang’o Ka Jaramogi, the ancestral home and family graveyard in Bondo, beside his father, Kenya’s first Vice President Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.
The site, which also houses a mausoleum and museum dedicated to Jaramogi’s legacy, will serve as a symbolic resting place, highlighting the Odinga family’s enduring influence in Kenya’s political and cultural history.
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