Mama Ida Odinga has pleaded with supporters of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga to maintain peace ahead of Raila’s burial in Bondo, Siaya County.
While addressing mourners at Raila’s Opoda Farm home on Saturday, October 17, Ida stressed the need to maintain calm, emphasizing that the ex-PM’s burial had attracted high-profile guests.
Ida noted that chaotic scenes being witnessed in Kisumu at the Mamboleo Showgrounds and Bondo were detrimental to the reputation of the Luo community.
“I want to appeal to our people, we must mourn Raila in peace. It is a solemn occasion. It is not an occasion of confusion,” she noted.
Things work better when we do it solemnly. I have been to many international funerals. I was at the funeral of President Maghufuli, as well as Nelson and Winnie Mandela’s funerals. They were all very solemn. It is only when we are calm that we can hear each other,” Ida added.
Her message came as the body of Raila was set to be airlifted to his Opoda Farm in Bondo, Siaya County for an overnight stay in preparation for his burial. A multitude of mourners had gathered around their home in Siaya, eagerly expecting the arrival of Raila's body.
On Saturday, chaos marked the public viewing of Raila’s body in Mamboleo, with the government forced to deploy additional military and police personnel to control the crowd that was increasingly getting out of control.
Footage obtained by Kenyans.co.ke showed the crowd breaching multiple boundaries, with police on horseback having a hard time in ensuring that the body viewing was not interrupted.
The situation at the stadium was further compounded after several mourners reportedly collapsed during Raila’s body viewing.
The incident prompted a swift response from the medical and security teams deployed to manage the surging crowd.
Footage obtained by Kenyans.co.ke showed several people lying on the ground, even as the paramedical team led by the Kenya Red Cross and the Kisumu County Disaster Management team rushed to provide first aid.
Emergency treatment was conducted on the victims before they were laid and carried away in lightweight stretchers for further treatment.
During Raila’s body viewing in Kasarani, police lobbed teargas and fired gunshots as mourners got rowdy at the Moi International Sports Centre.
After the fracas, approximately 100 people sustained injuries, with four others losing their lives.
