Kenya Bids Farewell to Raila Odinga with 17-Gun Salute in State Funeral

 

By Jepleting Faith 
Kenya came to a standstill on Sunday as a 17-gun salute echoed across the skies of Bondo, Siaya County, marking the final farewell to former Prime Minister Raila Amollo Odinga. 

The solemn military honour crowned three days of national mourning that united millions of Kenyans in celebrating the life and legacy of the veteran opposition leader.

The national flag flew at half-mast as the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) performed the symbolic gun salute—an honour reserved for the country’s most distinguished statesmen. 

Each shot fired into the air paid tribute to the sacrifice, resilience, and enduring influence of a man who helped shape Kenya’s democracy over more than four decades.

President William Ruto led a host of dignitaries—including former presidents, regional heads of state, diplomats, and thousands of citizens—at the state funeral held at Odinga’s rural home. 

In his heartfelt tribute, President Ruto hailed Raila as “a patriot whose courage and conviction inspired a generation to believe in justice, unity, and equality.”

Emotions ran high as Raila’s family, friends, and supporters paid their final respects. His widow, Ida Odinga, fought back tears as she thanked Kenyans for their unwavering support, describing her late husband as “a man of the people whose dream for a better Kenya must live on.”

The funeral cortege arrived in Bondo after a symbolic journey from Nairobi, where thousands had lined the highways to bid farewell to the man fondly known as “Baba.” Songs, chants, and liberation anthems filled the air, celebrating his indomitable spirit and lifelong struggle for justice and democracy.

As the final gunshot faded into silence, a profound stillness swept over the gathered crowd—a moment that captured both the sorrow of loss and the pride of a life lived in service to the nation. Raila Amollo Odinga was laid to rest beside his father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, cementing a family legacy that will remain forever etched in Kenya’s history.