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Raila Odinga Receives State Burial With 17-Gun Salute as Ruto Vows to Protect ODM

Ruto’s pledge to back ODM sets the stage for a succession battle likely to influence Kenya’s path to the 2027 elections.

Overview

  • Odinga was laid to rest at Kang'o Ka Jaramogi in Bondo with full state honors, including a 17-gun salute, a Kenya Air Force fly-past, and the Last Post by a military bugler.
  • Thousands attended services alongside regional leaders, and the government observed seven days of national mourning with flags at half-mast nationwide and at missions abroad.
  • At the burial, President William Ruto said his government would respect and support ODM and would resist efforts to fracture the party, calling strong parties essential for stable governance and investment.
  • Ruth Odinga said her brother’s final wish was for a united ODM, as the party confronts internal rifts and succession questions under interim leader Oburu Oginga.
  • Multiple memorial events before the burial saw crowd-control failures with reported fatalities and injuries, while analysts note ODM’s reorganization could reshape coalition politics heading into 2027.