Uhuru returns to Raila’s gravesite a day after burial

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday returned to Kang’o ka Jaramogi at Raila Odinga’s family home in Bondo, Siaya County, to honour the memory of the late former Prime Minister, who was buried there on Sunday.

In the quiet visit, Kenyatta was accompanied by Odinga’s elder brother and Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga.

He stood solemnly at the graveside, lingering in silence as if sharing a private moment with the departed statesman.

The former president appeared deeply contemplative, his gaze fixed on the grave. He at one point raised his right hand towards Odinga’s grave for a few seconds.

After a brief prayer alongside Senator Oginga, Kenyatta chose not to speak to the media, quietly departing the site without comment.

Per an evening statement from his office, the former head of state condoled with the Odinga family and “paid tribute to the life and legacy of his longtime friend and compatriot.”

“Kenyatta also visited the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Mausoleum to honour the memory of the Odinga family’s enduring contribution to Kenya’s history and democracy,” it added.

Odinga, who died last Wednesday after collapsing in India, was on Sunday afternoon buried next to his father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, and his mother, Mary Ajuma’s graves.

The private ceremony, during which he was accorded state honours and a 17-gun salute, was only attended by members of his family, top government dignitaries, and tens of the guests from the burial ceremony earlier in the day.

Kenyatta was among those present, and he laid a wreath by Odinga’s grave.

He has eulogised him as a “brother, friend and patriot” whose passing has left a deep void in the nation, saying Kenya has lost a leader whose voice of conviction and courage helped shape the country’s political history.

Last week, Kenyatta reflected on his long and complex relationship with the long-time opposition leader, describing the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader as a “defining part” of his own political journey.

The two were political rivals in several elections before joining forces in the historic 2018 “Handshake” after Odinga unsuccessfully challenged Kenyatta in the 2017 polls, quelling the political storm that followed the disputed polls.

“Raila and I were navigators on opposing currents, charting different courses for the nation we both loved. At some point, we became political opponents and often, the weight of that competition felt immense,” the former president said.

“Baba, as we fondly referred to him, was a man who made you sharpen your own ideas, compelling you to defend your positions with rigor and passion.”

Kenyatta said their eventual partnership through the ‘Handshake’ defined Odinga as a leader guided not by personal ambition, but by a genuine desire to unite the country.

“I saw first-hand his unwavering passion for this country, his deep-seated belief in justice, and his incredible capacity to think beyond personal ambition for the sake of national peace,” he said.

The former president said he would remember Raila for his strength of conviction, intellect, and commitment to the ideals of democracy and justice.

“I have lost a friend and a brother. I will miss our conversations – sometimes challenging, always insightful – and the fire of belief that never left his eyes,” he added.