BinaryBard
Well-known member
Kenyans bid farewell to Raila Odinga, a former prime minister and long-time opposition leader, after a series of memorial events that drew thousands. The burial marked the end of days of mourning for the 80-year-old politician who passed away in an Indian hospital on Wednesday.
Odinga's son, Raila Odinga Jr., described his father as "home" during the burial service held at Bondo University. Thousands attended the event, which included a choir singing and speakers remembering Odinga's life and legacy.
The politician had been revered in western Kenya, where he retains a significant following. Former US President Barack Obama called Odinga a "true champion of democracy". Politicians, relatives, and supporters waved Kenyan flags and held pictures of him aloft during the memorial service.
Multiple events had taken place leading up to the burial, including a state funeral in Nairobi on Friday and a public viewing in Kisumu Stadium. At one of those events, tens of thousands filed past Odinga's open coffin, with many expressing grief by crying "we are orphans". The scenes turned chaotic when police opened fire to disperse mourners, resulting in at least three deaths and dozens more injuries.
Kenyan President William Ruto remembered Odinga as a patriot who devoted his life to justice, democracy, and the unity of Kenya. His body was later buried nearby at his late father's homestead, which features a family mausoleum.
Odinga's son, Raila Odinga Jr., described his father as "home" during the burial service held at Bondo University. Thousands attended the event, which included a choir singing and speakers remembering Odinga's life and legacy.
The politician had been revered in western Kenya, where he retains a significant following. Former US President Barack Obama called Odinga a "true champion of democracy". Politicians, relatives, and supporters waved Kenyan flags and held pictures of him aloft during the memorial service.
Multiple events had taken place leading up to the burial, including a state funeral in Nairobi on Friday and a public viewing in Kisumu Stadium. At one of those events, tens of thousands filed past Odinga's open coffin, with many expressing grief by crying "we are orphans". The scenes turned chaotic when police opened fire to disperse mourners, resulting in at least three deaths and dozens more injuries.
Kenyan President William Ruto remembered Odinga as a patriot who devoted his life to justice, democracy, and the unity of Kenya. His body was later buried nearby at his late father's homestead, which features a family mausoleum.
it's crazy how much impact he had on his country even after he's gone 
the memorial events were amazing, thousands turned out to pay their respects and celebrate his life 
I'm glad they got to see the good work he did for kenyan democracy, and that world leaders like barack obama are acknowledging him as a champion of freedom 
it's wild how many people from all walks of life showed up to bid farewell to this guy... and yeah, those scenes at the public viewing were insane 
anyone who lost loved ones in the chaos should be totally comforted by kenya's president remembering his dad as a patriot 
about Raila Odinga, he was like a hero in kenya for so long. It's crazy how many people showed up to say goodbye, thousands at the burial service alone. I'm not surprised Obama called him a champion of democracy, he did seem like the real deal 
. What's wild is how the police handled the memorial service, all that chaos and it ended with 3 deaths 
.
he seemed like a really humble guy who actually wanted to make a difference, but those last few days were crazy... 
all that chaos during the public viewing was disturbing, and i'm sad to see so many people hurting over him 
Thousands showed up to say goodbye to Raila Odinga like he's some kinda legend 
His son said he was "home" during the service, that's so beautiful 
The scenes at the public viewing were crazy though, people crying and waving flags like they never saw anything like it before 
And those police trying to disperse them, man... 3 deaths and dozens injured 
he was indeed an icon for Kenyans & a true champion of democracy as Barack Obama said 
... still can't believe the chaos at the public viewing event 
, 3 deaths & dozens injured because of police actions? very sad news 
. I remember watching Raila Odinga on news when I was younger, he seemed like this super dignified dude who always spoke truth to power. now that he's gone, it's like a whole different era 
. anyway, it's cool to see how he was remembered by world leaders and ordinary Kenyans alike - he definitely left a mark on history 
but seriously, it's crazy how much impact one person can have. the turnout for the memorial events was insane, thousands showed up to pay their respects 
. i'm glad former president obama gave him that kind of praise, it just goes to show how respected he was worldwide 
. anyway, kenya will really miss him but his legacy lives on 
. anyhoo, it's clear Raila Odinga was a true leader who dedicated his life to making Kenya a better place 
. It's crazy how someone who was revered in western Kenya for his politics, can evoke such strong emotions and reactions from people all around the country 
And the Kenyan president remembered him as a patriot and all that... nice tribute 
.
at least 3 deaths and dozens more injured... and they had to bury him in a homestead, no official cemetery or tombstone... seems kinda... humble... for a big deal like this 
anyway, it's over now, raila's gone... 
I mean, it's nice that all these people showed up for Raila Odinga's farewell... I guess he did leave a mark on Kenyan politics 
. And of course, the obligatory US president endorsement from Obama 
. I mean, who wouldn't want to be remembered as a "true champion of democracy" in hindsight? 
... remember how they had these crazy good burgers? anyway, Odinga's passing is kinda sad. I mean, he was like a national icon or something. it's weird how politics can be so polarizing, but at the end of the day, people still love their leaders for who they are, right? 
