President William Ruto on Saturday joined thousands of mourners in Bondo to pay tribute to the late former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga, who was laid to rest at his ancestral home in Nyamira village.
The ceremony, held at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology grounds, brought together Kenyans from across the country in a solemn celebration of a man whose life was deeply intertwined with the nation’s political journey.
In his eulogy, President Ruto described the late Odinga as a towering figure in Kenya’s history — a man whose courage, resilience, and unyielding belief in justice and democracy shaped the course of the Republic.
“Baba’s journey was never his alone,” the President said. “It was the journey of a people determined to live in freedom, dignity, and equality.”
Dr. Ruto said Raila’s return to his rural home symbolized more than just a burial — it was the final embrace of a nation bidding farewell to one of its most influential sons.
“His homecoming to Bondo was the embrace of a grateful country saying goodbye to a patriot who gave everything for unity, democracy, and justice,” he said.
Raila’s funeral was marked by an emotional display of love and respect, with mourners waving flags and singing liberation songs that once defined his political struggle. He was buried next to his father, the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Kenya’s first Vice President.
Dignitaries from across the political divide, diplomats, and ordinary citizens stood shoulder to shoulder in what many described as a moment of rare national unity — a fitting farewell to a man who devoted his life to fighting for the same.
