The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has appointed the Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga as the interim party leader following the passing of his brother, Raila Odinga.
The appointment will take effect immediately following an early morning National Executive Committee (NEC), ahead of the arrival of Raila's body at JKIA at 9:30am.
"The National Executive Committee (NEC) has this morning met and unanimously endorsed the designation of the Senator of Siaya County, Dr Oburu Oginga, as the Acting Party Leader. This appointment takes effect immediately," the statement by ODM read.
Speaking after the meeting, Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir also revealed that it had opened condolence books in all its offices across the country, where members of the public could eulogise its fallen party leader.
He also invited them to the public viewing of Raila's body, which will lie in state at the Parliament buildings between 12 noon to 5pm.
He insisted that despite the death of its founder and its leader for the past two decades, the party would remain steadfast in its role.
"ODM remains united just like it was during the Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga's time. We believe in unity of purpose, a stronger democratic party and a party that must live on for many years to come," Governor Nassir said.
"For this regard, the NEC has designated the Senator of Siaya County, Hon. Dr. Oburu Odinga, to be the acting party leader, until the time that the top party organs meet and elect a substantive party leader to fill the big shoes that have been left by our leader."
Following his death on Wednesday morning, President William Ruto announced that the former Prime Minister would be accorded a state funeral, naming a committee chaired by his deputy, Kithure Kindiki, to lead the funeral organisation.
The three-day event will culminate in his burial on Sunday, October 19, at his family’s graveyard in Kango Ka Jaramogi, beside his late son Fiden and father Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.
On Friday, October 17, the government will hold a State Funeral service at the Nyayo Stadium from 8am, after the public viewing on Thursday. Friday has also been declared a public holiday to allow for his mourning.
The body will finally be flown to Nyanza on Saturday, October 18, when it will land in Kisumu for a public viewing of the body at Moi Stadium from 9am to 3pm.
The body will then be ferried by road from Kisumu to Bondo for an overnight stay before his burial on Sunday.
