Chants, tears and white handkerchiefs: Raila Odinga's final salute at Nyayo Stadium
The convoy reached Nyayo Stadium at 9:46 am, where the former Prime Minister's body was received for the State Funeral service.
Like the chants he was accustomed to when greeting crowds, Raila Odinga, recently departed, was welcomed with chants of cheer and sorrow as his body arrived at Nyayo National Stadium on Friday morning.
This will be the last time Raila is among crowds in Nairobi, as his body will leave the city on Saturday morning for Bondo ahead of his funeral on Sunday. After departing Parliament Buildings shortly after 9:00 am, Raila’s casket was driven down Uhuru Highway under military escort.
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Along the route, Kenyans standing on the roadside paid their final respects to their beloved leader.
The convoy reached Nyayo Stadium at 9:46 am, where the former Prime Minister's body was received for the State Funeral service.
As the hearse slowly entered the stadium, mourners broke into wails, while others sang songs reflecting Raila’s decades-long struggle for democracy and reform.
Military pallbearers carried the flag-draped casket solemnly, flanked by uniformed officers.
Crowds waved flags, twigs, and portraits of the late leader, with many quietly weeping, creating a poignant mix of sorrow and celebration. A sea of white handkerchiefs, waved by thousands braving the chilly morning, welcomed the casket.
As music and hymns filled the air, the stadium came alive. Mourners rose to their feet, waving white handkerchiefs in unison, a powerful symbol of peace, farewell, and collective memory. Many also held Kenyan flags, blending national pride with personal grief.
As the casket was placed for the service, Raila Odinga’s bodyguard, Moses Ogeta, who had always been by his side until his last breath in India, walked behind the military procession.
These gestures served both as a celebration of Raila’s life and a sign of solidarity with his vision of justice, unity, and reform.
Spectators sang, clapped, and danced to the band’s music, turning Nyayo Stadium into a moving tribute to the late leader.
Kenyan leaders from across the political divide sat together, celebrating and paying respect to a man who symbolised unity for many.
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