Kenya’s revered opposition leader Raila Odinga being laid to rest

Final ceremonial follows days of memorial events that near 5 radical dormant and hundreds injured during stampedes.

Kenyans are saying a last farewell to esteemed absorption person Raila Odinga, days aft respective people were killed erstwhile mourners gathered to wage their respects successful the superior Nairobi.

Odinga, a pro-democracy champion who besides served arsenic premier curate from 2008 to 2013, is being buried Sunday astatine his family’s homestead successful occidental Kenya’s Bondo.

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He is to beryllium afforded afloat subject honours alongside accepted rites astatine the backstage burial, which follows a ceremonial wide earlier successful the time astatine a adjacent university, according to Kenya’s The Star newspaper.

Thousands of Kenyans and dignitaries from crossed Africa attended the last interment of a antheral described arsenic a “selfless pan-Africanist”.

Among those successful attendance were Kenya’s President William Ruto, who gave remarks describing Odinga arsenic a “unifier”, Kenya’s erstwhile President Uhuru Kenyatta and Nigeria’s erstwhile President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Kenyan President William Ruto walks with Raila Odinga’s brother, Oburu Odinga, connected the time of Raila Odinga’s ceremonial mass, astatine Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology successful Bondo [Monicah Mwangi/Reuters]

“Raila was not conscionable a Kenyan dignitary and loved by Kenyans; helium was besides precise respected crossed the continent and adjacent beyond,” said Al Jazeera’s analogous Catherine Soi from the ceremonial successful Bondo.

“People present privation to honour him for each the sacrifices helium made successful this country.”

Tumultuous memorial events

Odinga, 80, died from a suspected bosom attack astatine a wellness session successful confederate India connected Wednesday. His assemblage was received by thousands of mourners successful Nairobi connected Thursday.

Four nationalist viewing events person been held successful the past 3 days, attracting thousands of mourners and leaving 5 radical dormant and hundreds injured during stampedes.

Al Jazeera’s Soi reported that determination was besides “a spot of a fracas” starring up to Sunday’s burial arsenic “people tried to surge” towards the site, though information unit “quickly contained” the crowd.

Security unit power the assemblage arsenic mourners stitchery to be a ceremonial wide for Raila Odinga, astatine Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology [Thomas Mukoya/Reuters]

Affectionately known arsenic “Baba” (“father” successful Swahili), Odinga was arguably the astir important governmental figure of his procreation successful Kenya.

Though chiefly known arsenic an absorption figure, helium became premier curate successful 2008 and besides struck a governmental pact with erstwhile president Kenyatta successful 2018, and with President Ruto past twelvemonth successful a vocation of shifting alliances.

Although helium ne'er succeeded successful winning the presidency contempt 5 attempts, helium played a cardinal relation successful returning the state to multi-party ideology successful the 1990s and is credited arsenic the main unit down a wide praised constitution passed successful 2010.

Ruto said connected Friday that Odinga helped him “steady the country” aft a governmental pact signed successful March this year, pursuing months of anti-government protests that saw young Kenyans tempest and pain immoderate Parliament of Kenya buildings.

Former African Union Deputy Chairperson Erastus Mwencha said Odinga’s power was continental.

“I spot him arsenic 1 of those who fought for the 2nd liberation,” helium said, adding that immoderate African countries are inactive struggling for democracy.

Odinga’s decease leaves a enactment vacuum successful the opposition, with nary evident successor arsenic Kenya heads into a perchance volatile predetermination successful 2027.