Bondo Sub-County Luo Council of Elders have appealed to Raila Odinga’s funeral organising committees to incorporate them in the planning on how Raila’s body would be received at his Opoda Farm on Saturday evening.

The elders led by Chair Maurice Akong’o Oloo said that even though the funeral of the Raila Odinga is a state funeral, cultural practices should not be abandoned because the fallen veteran politician was a strong defender of Luo cultural rites.

Oloo who was speaking to the press at Raila Odinga’s home in Opoda Farm said the former prime minister was an old man who, according to Luo culture should arrive at his home before sunset on the eve of his burial.

According to the programme by funeral committee chaired by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, public viewing at Kisumu Show Ground would end at 3pm on Saturday and the body moved to Bondo 60km away by road.

Oloo expressed concern that moving Raila’s body by road from Kisumu to Bondo would make the entourage arrive in Bondo late at night against the cultural practices of the Luo community.

“We expect a mammoth crowd on the way from Kisumu to Bondo given the experience from JKIA to Kasarani which is about 30 km apart. We may have mzee here at midnight going by what we saw,” Oloo said.

“We do not have the mandate to say he should be flown to Bondo but we strongly feel going by road will make the entourage reach at the burial site late given his stature in the community,” he added.

The chair of the council of elders in the region further requested the organising committee to allow the elders to take the lead of the procession of mzee’s body from 200 metres away from the homestead in line with Luo cultural practices.

“We are asking for an opportunity to welcome our hero in our own cultural way. We ask the state to let the elders lead the procession accompanied with cows, goats, spears and shield form the main road as we come to the homestead in accordance to our culture,” Oloo remarked.

 Mary Anyona, a member of the Luo Council of Elders appealed for peace among the mourners. Anyona said that the elders wished to bury their hero Raila Odinga in peace and asked mourners who would be in Bondo to exercise peace in honour of the late former Prime Minister.

“We recognise that the loss of Mzee is a big blow to everybody. Let us all remain peaceful to show respect to our fallen hero. Let us avoid violence which may lead to injuries and loss of life as witnessed at Kasarani,” Anyona said.

 Raila Odinga will be laid to rest in Bondo Kango Ka Jaramogi on October 17, 2025.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Brian Ondeng