The late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga will be laid to rest on Sunday, October 19, 2025, at his ancestral home in Bondo, Siaya County.
Speaking on Wednesday, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki said that the government had received a formal request from the Odinga family to allow for a 72-hour burial window, in line with the family’s wishes.
“We have received the request from the family to proceed with the burial within 72 hours. The government will work closely with the family to ensure a dignified farewell for the late Prime Minister,” Kindiki stated.
While the 72-hour period from the time of Raila’s death technically ends on Saturday, Kindiki explained that adjustments had to be made to accommodate unforeseen logistics – including the fact that the former Prime Minister died in a foreign country, which requires time to repatriate his body to Kenya.
Raila Odinga passed away on Wednesday morning while undergoing treatment at a hospital in India, where he had been receiving Ayurvedic therapy for several days.
Raila’s body is expected to arrive at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) at 8:30am. The body will be received by President William Ruto alongside members of Raila’s family.
From JKIA, Raila’s body will be moved to Lee Funeral Home before being transported to the Parliament buildings, where it will lie in state. Here, Kenyans will have the opportunity to view the body between 12 noon and 5pm.
The body will be moved back to Lee Funeral Home, where it will stay until Friday.
On Friday, the government will then hold a State Funeral service at the Nyayo Stadium from 8am in honour of Raila Odinga.
His body will later be taken to his residence in Karen, where it will spend the night.
“On Saturday, the body will leave Nairobi for Kisumu, and there will be a public viewing of the body at Moi Stadium from 9am to 3pm,” Kindiki announced.
After public viewing, the body will travel by road from Kisumu to Bondo for an overnight stay.
Finally, the burial will take place on Sunday, October 17 and will be conducted as per the traditions of the Anglican church with which Ralia belonged.
The former Prime Minister is expected to be buried in the family’s graveyard in Kango Ka Jaramogi, beside his late son Fiden and father Jaramogi Oginga Odinga’s graves.
