President William Ruto has announced that the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga will be accorded a state funeral.
Speaking from State House on Wednesday, October 15, Ruto said the government, in consultation with the Odinga family, has constituted a committee to oversee the funeral arrangements.
The team will be co-chaired by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and Raila’s brother, Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga.
“Our former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, shall be accorded a state funeral. In consultation with the family, a committee to be co-chaired by the Deputy President Professor Kithure Kindiki and the Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga has been set up to coordinate the funeral arrangements,” he said.
Ruto also revealed that the Government of India has stepped in to assist with the repatriation of Raila’s remains, following a formal request from Kenya.
“At the same time, the Government of India, at the request of the Government of Kenya, has offered to facilitate the repatriation of the remains of our former Prime Minister,” he added.
Raila further stated that a high-level delegation, led by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, will travel to India immediately to coordinate the process.
“Consequently, a delegation comprising government officials and family members, led by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, is leaving immediately for India to facilitate proper organisation in the repatriation of the remains of our brother,” he further said.
Other members of the delegation are Mama Ida, Cabinet Secretaries Kipchumba Murkomen (Interior) and Hassan Joho (Mining), National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wa, Minority Leader Junet Mohamed, and family members, Jaoko Oburu Odinga, Kevin Opiyo Oginga, among others.
“Fellow patriots, we have lost a beacon of courage, a tower of principle, and a father of our democracy. Let us come together, as he always urged us to do, not as rivals, but as brothers and sisters bound by a shared destiny,” he added.
Meanwhile, President William Ruto declared seven days of national mourning following Raila’s death.
According to the Head of State, during this period, all flags will fly at half-mast at the State House and all Kenyan diplomatic posts around the world.
“In honor of the right honorable Raila Odinga and his immense contribution to the nation of Kenya, I have declared a 7-day period of mourning across Kenya during which the national flag shall fly at half-mast across the nation and in our missions abroad,” he said.
Ruto also revealed that he has postponed all his public engagements for the coming days.
“As a mark of respect, I have postponed all my public engagements for the coming days, and I ask all the other public servants and leaders to do the same so we can join the country in mourning,” he added.
Raila passed away on Wednesday morning at the age of 80 at a facility in Kochi, India.
He reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest during a morning walk at an Ayurvedic treatment facility and later pronounced dead.
