Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga has disclosed that the late Raila Odinga’s body was prepared for public viewing at Kasarani Stadium instead of Lee Funeral Home due to overwhelming crowds and logistical constraints at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Speaking in an interview on Sunday, November 2, Oburu confirmed that the difference between the coffin that arrived from India and the one used during the Kasarani ceremony was intentional.
The initial coffin, he said, was only meant for transport and not for presentation during public viewing.
“In India, bodies are normally cremated and not buried. The boxes they use for transporting remains are not ideal for viewing or burial,” Oburu explained. “We had planned to take a short time at Lee Funeral Home or at the airport to prepare the body, but the large crowd made it impossible.”
He recounted that when Raila’s body arrived at JKIA, a massive crowd had gathered, making it difficult for the family to proceed with the planned transfer.
Attempts to ask mourners to allow time for body preparation were met with resistance, forcing the family and funeral directors to adjust their plans.
“Someone thought that if I addressed the people, they would listen, but when I spoke, they rejected the idea. The crowd was too emotional. We then decided to move everything to Kasarani,” Oburu said.
Once at Kasarani, the family, accompanied by funeral directors from Lee Funeral Home, dressed and prepared the body in a controlled section of the stadium before public viewing began.
“You saw some teargas at the stadium. That was to clear the way for the body to be changed from the transport casket into the presentation one. The Lee Funeral team did the final preparations at Kasarani,” Oburu stated.
He maintained that the presence of two coffins was not a sign of confusion or secrecy but a practical response to unique circumstances surrounding the repatriation and national mourning of the late former Prime Minister.
