President Ruto announces 7-day mourning, state funeral for ‘democracy giant’ Raila Odinga

President William Ruto has announced a seven-day national mourning period for the late Raila Odinga, during which the Kenyan flag will be flown at half-mast in honour of the former Prime Minister who died on Wednesday morning in India.

In a televised afternoon address at State House, Nairobi, Ruto announced that the former Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader will be accorded a state funeral with all attendant honours.

“We have lost one of Africa’s greatest leaders, a giant of democracy, a fearless fighter, and a tireless warrior of good governance,” Ruto said.

“Raila Amolo Odinga’s name will forever be etched in the story of our republic: a story of struggle, sacrifice, courage, rule of law, hope, and our pursuit for excellence.”

Ruto described Odinga as a patriot who dedicated his life to the pursuit of justice in Kenya, and whose ideals transcended politics.

“As a mark of respect, I have postponed all my public engagements for the coming days to join the nation in this period of mourning and deep reflection,” he said.

He also issued a presidential proclamation to this effect, further directing that all top Kenyan government officials and diplomats abroad shall not fly the national flag on their official cars from Wednesday until the day of Odinga’s interment.

At the same time, the President announced that the Indian government had offered to facilitate the repatriation of Odinga’s remains at the request of Kenya.

A committee organising the former PM’s burial will be led by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and Odinga’s elder brother, Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga.

“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,” Ruto added.

Odinga, 80, passed away after collapsing in the Indian city of Kochi, where he had been under treatment for an undisclosed illness.

Born on January 7, 1945, in Maseno, Kisumu, he was the son of Mary Juma Odinga and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Kenya’s first vice president under President Jomo Kenyatta.

Odinga was arrested and charged with treason after being accused of being among the masterminds of the 1982 coup attempt to overthrow the government of then-President Daniel arap Moi.

He was released six years later in February 1988, but detained again in August that year to be released in June 1989.

From 1992 to 2013, Odinga was the Member of Parliament for Lang'ata and also served as Prime Minister from 2008 to 2013 in President Mwai Kibaki’s administration.

The long-time opposition leader unsuccessfully ran for the presidency five times: 1997, 2007, 2013, 2017, and 2022, all of which he alleged electoral fraud.

Following the 2017 polls, he struck a political truce with then-President Uhuru Kenyatta, whom Ruto then deputised, in a March 2018 ‘Handshake’ deal.

Their newfound alliance, among other things, however, saw Ruto fall out with his boss, and in the lead-up to the 2022 elections, Kenyatta had endorsed Odinga as his preferred successor.

But two years after losing to Ruto in the tightly contested race, the two leaders allied.

Last December, Ruto backed Odinga’s bid for the African Union Commission (AUC) Chairmanship, which he eventually also lost in February.

The two then struck a deal in March towards a ‘broad-based government’ that saw ODM form a working agreement with Ruto’s UDA party and several of Odinga’s allies nominated into government.

“In his passing, we have lost a patriot of uncommon courage, a pan-Africanist, a unifier who sought peace and unity above power and self-gain,” Ruto said in his State House address, “an unceasing servant of the people who gave his all for the promise of a better Kenya.”