AfriPulse
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga is set to be buried near his late father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, at the Kang’o ka Jaramogi homestead.
Revealing details of his burial on Thursday, October 16, Raila’s elder brother and Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga noted that the former PM will be laid to rest near his father’s mausoleum in Bondo.
Oburu also clarified that Raila will be buried in a private ceremony attended by a select few. However he did not disclose who the few were. The event is scheduled for Sunday, October 19, according to the funeral program.
In his final wishes, Raila asked to be buried next to his late mother, Mary Juma Odinga, who died in 1984. However, his grave has been moved to a space near his father’s mausoleum instead.
President William Ruto pays his last respects as he leads the public viewing of Raila Odinga’s body at Kasarani Stadium on Thursday, October 16.
After arriving at Raila’s Opoda Farm house in Bondo, Oburu identified the exact burial site, with grave digging beginning precisely at 7:04pm.
The site is only five meters from Jaramogi’s mausoleum amid plans to build a mausoleum for Raila as well.
For his burial, several key Luo rituals will be observed, given Raila’s status as a respected Luo elder and statesman, initiated to honour his ‘passage to the ancestral world.’
According to Luo customs, since burials can be performed inside houses, the grave is typically dug on the right side of the main house for men and the left for women.
The ceremony is led by a senior elder or clan leader, who oversees prayers, speeches, and traditional blessings, during which libations may be poured to honour ancestors and ensure the safe passage of the deceased’s spirit.
Another vital ritual is Tero Buru, a ceremony conducted to cleanse death from the homestead. It is worth noting that this was carried out in two phases, before and after the burial
The ritual, which dates back generations, is meant to drive away evil spirits, honour the deceased’s spirit, and demonstrate unity within the community, according to Luo customs.
The Kang’o ka Jaramogi homestead also includes the tombstones of Raila’s eldest son, Fidel Castro Odinga, who died in 2015, alongside other relatives of Raila including his brothers and mother.
The tombstones of several members of the Odinga family at Kang’o ka Jaramogi homestead in Bondo.
Photo
Abuga Makori
Source: Kenyans.co.ke | Read the Full Story…
