Kenya's former Prime Minister Raila Odinga receives 17-gun salute during burial

Kenya's former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has been buried at his Bondo ancestral home in the Western county of Siaya.

Odinga, who served as prime minister from 2008 to 2013, was accorded a 17-gun salute by the military during his burial ceremony, which was attended by several leaders, including Kenya's President William Ruto, his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta, and Nigeria's former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Odinga received the 17-gun salute on Sunday, and not the 19-gun salute, because he did not serve as Kenya's head of state. In recent times, Kenya accorded the 19-gun salute to former Presidents Daniel Moi and Mwai Kibaki, who died in February 2020 and April 2022 respectively.

In Kenya, the highest military honour, the 21-gun salute, is reserved for the serving head of state, who is also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. Ex-presidents receive a 19-gun salute.

Unwell

However, special consideration may be given to former presidents to receive a 21-gun salute if the incumbent president orders that they be buried in full military uniform in recognition of their service as commander-in-chief while in office, Kenya's NTV reports.

Odinga's burial was preceded by a funeral service at a nearby university named after the ex-premier's late father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, who served as the East African nation's first vice-president following Kenya's independence from Britain in 1963.

During the speeches, President Ruto recounted Odinga's finals days, saying that the former prime minister was visibly unwell in recent months, and that Kenya offered to facilitate Odinga's treatment "anywhere in the world."

According to President Ruto, Odinga settled on India for his medical trip after considering other countries, including Germany.

National mourning

Odinga died on October 15 aged 80 after suffering a cardiac arrest while on a walk in India's southern state of Kerala. A medical doctor, who attended to Odinga, said the Kenyan leader had diabetes, kidney problems, among other complications.

Odinga's family said his health had significantly improved and that he was scheduled for discharge from the southern India hospital the following day (October 16).

Following Odinga's death, Kenya declared seven days of national mourning, with many national and foreign leaders eulogising the late former prime minister as a "statesman" and "father of Kenya's democracy." Consequently, the Kenyan national flag was flown at half-mast both within the country and at its foreign missions abroad.

Odinga instructed in his will that he be buried within 72 hours of his death.

Multiparty democracy champion

Odinga, a former Kenyan member of parliament, former prime minister, and five-time presidential contestant, is credited for championing multiparty democracy and advocating for freedoms of expression and association in Kenya.

Odinga is survived by his widow, Ida Odinga, and three children: Rosemary, Raila Junior, and Winnie. His firstborn child with Ida, Fidel Castro Odinga, died aged 41 in 2015.