Kenya, 23 October 2025 - As the seven-day national mourning period for the late former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga came to an emotional close, Bondo — the lakeside hometown of Kenya’s long-serving opposition leader — became a cultural and spiritual epicentre of national reflection.
What began as a state-sanctioned mourning period evolved into a moment of deep ethnographic significance, as delegations from different ethnic communities journeyed to Siaya County to pay homage to a man whose life and politics symbolised Kenya’s long and complex struggle for unity.
The most symbolic of these gestures came on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, when a delegation of elders from the Agikuyu Council led by Ndia Member of Parliament George Kariuki made a solemn pilgrimage to Raila’s Opoda Farm home.
Their visit was not just a condolence call. It was a cultural dialogue steeped in ancestral symbolism and cross-ethnic healing.
The Agikuyu delegation was warmly received by Mama Ida Odinga, [Raila] Odinga’s widow, alongside, Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga, Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga, EALA MP Winnie Odinga, Siaya Governor James Orengo, and other members of the Jaramogi family.
Together, they shared stories, exchanged blessings, and performed traditional gestures of peace — turning grief into a platform for national introspection.
Speaking during the visit, Dr Oginga, the elder brother of the former premier, described the encounter as a sacred act of reconciliation that transcends politics.
He emphasized the importance of traditional rites in building bridges between Kenya’s diverse communities.
“When elders from different nations visit each other in mourning, they are not only consoling the bereaved — they are cleansing the land of pain and reaffirming that we are one people,” Dr Oginga said.
“Such rituals remind us that before politics and parties, we were bound by culture, kinship, and shared humanity.”
[Oburu] Oginga, himself a veteran politician, noted that the visit carried symbolic weight, echoing the early post-independence years when his father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, and Kenya's founding President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta— despite later political differences — shared a vision for a united Kenya.
“If Jaramogi and Kenyatta were alive today, they would see this as the true meaning of uhuru — freedom through fellowship,” he said.
Ruth described the visit as “a healing ritual” that would have “appeased the spirits” of the two founding fathers — Jaramogi and Kenyatta.
“The Jaramogi family aside, the Luos and the Agikuyu have a long and intertwined history,” she said in her statement.
“This visit must have made my late father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, and his friend, Jomo Kenyatta, smile in their graves. We welcome you; we are you.”
She added that during her childhood, there was no animosity between the two communities.
“When our parents were in government, the Luo and Gikuyu families interacted freely. We ate together, laughed together, and lived as one nation. The divisions came later, through politics,” she reflected.
Ruth further praised former President Uhuru Kenyatta, who also visited Odinga’s grave earlier in the week, describing him as “a true brother and symbol of national cohesion.”
“Uhuru and I grew up knowing each other well when our fathers served together. It warms my heart to see him continue to champion the unity our fathers once envisioned,” she said.
A Visit of Solidarity, Not Politics
Ndia MP George Kariuki, who led the Agikuyu delegation, said their journey to Bondo was guided by respect and the spirit of reconciliation.
“We came to honour a statesman whose sacrifice and vision shaped the democratic soul of our nation. Raila Odinga belonged not just to one community but to all Kenyans,” Mr Kariuki said.
He noted that the Agikuyu elders’ visit was also meant to send a message of peace, especially after controversial remarks by Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga which many perceived as divisive and disrespectful to the Odinga family.
“We are here to affirm that our differences end where respect begins,” he added.
Cultural experts and political observers have described the Bondo visit as an example of how ethnographic rituals can serve as tools of social cohesion.
Siaya Senator, who serves as interim Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party Leader, underscored this point, saying that such rites are “Kenya’s unwritten constitution — the moral glue that binds our people beyond law and politics.”
“When we exchange blessings and perform cultural rites, we are not just honoring the dead — we are preserving our living traditions,” he explained.
“That is what gives Kenya her strength.”
Migori Governor Ochilo Ayacko echoed the sentiment, calling the visit “a national healing ritual.”
He said, “Moments like this remind us that our political rivalries should never overshadow our shared humanity.”
Bukusu Elders Bring Bulls and Blessings
As word spread of the symbolic visit, another powerful cultural gesture followed.
A delegation from the Bukusu Council of Elders led by Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka, arrived in Bondo with over 40 bulls— a traditional sign of respect, wealth, and cleansing in Luhya culture.
Governor Lusaka said their presence was both spiritual and symbolic.
“We have come not just to mourn, but to bless this family. Our culture teaches that when a great leader falls, other communities must come together to complete the circle of peace,” he said.
“We pray that Kenya continues to walk the path of love, unity, and respect that Raila always stood for.”
Unity in Diversity: The Lasting Message
Siaya Senator concluded the ceremonies by thanking the delegations for their show of solidarity.
“You are our people,” he told the elders.
“Let us continue walking and working together in the spirit of love, peace, and unity. That is the national accord [Raila] Odinga cherished.”
As the national flag returns to full mast, the closing of the mourning period has become more than a formal end to grief — it has become a cultural rebirth. In Bondo, Kenya witnessed a living testament to the power of tradition, where ancestral customs bridged communities once divided by politics.
In the words of one elder from the Agikuyu delegation, “Today, Bondo became Kenya. We buried our divisions and raised our flag of brotherhood.”
Indeed, if the spirits of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and Jomo Kenyatta were smiling, then so too were millions of Kenyans — united once more by the enduring strength of their shared heritage.
Agikuyu and Luhya Elders Converge at Opoda Farm to Mourn Raila
Cross-Cultural Rites Marked as Elders Unite Kenya’s Spirit in Bondo
