Its an end for Raila
On Thursday, the Luo community came together to honor the end of the mourning period for their former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, with traditional rites taking the spotlight.
After four nights of remembrance, family and friends gathered at Raila’s Opoda Farm home. There, his son, Raila Junior, was ceremonially shaved and dressed in traditional attire, marking the significant transition of family leadership from father to son.
He received a shield and spear, and in a spirited display, he engaged in a mock battle, with the crowd enthusiastically chanting “Jowi” (Buffalo) to inspire courage.
Leading the procession with bulls, Raila Junior and community members participated in a “Tero Buru” ceremony, aimed at warding off evil spirits, before making their way back home.
Later, the family visited Kang’o ka Jaramogi, the final resting place of the former Prime Minister, for a brief prayer.
Earlier in the day, Raila’s elder brother and Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga emphasized that this ceremony represented the passing of family leadership to Raila Junior.
Dr. Oburu noted that while Raila Junior will receive guidance from his mother, Ida Odinga, he is expected to take a strong stance and lead the family in accordance with Luo traditions.
He also clarified that Raila Junior’s new role is not about political leadership, nor has he been appointed as the leader of the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga family.
“The larger Odinga family, which I chair and lead, is still under me, just as his father was when it came to cultural leadership of the home,” he said.
At the gathering were Governors James Orengo from Siaya, Gladys Wanga of Homa Bay, Johnson Sakaja representing Nairobi, along with several Members of Parliament.
Raila passed away due to cardiac arrest while receiving treatment in India. He was 80 years old.
The day after his passing on October 16, Luo elders conducted the traditional ‘Tero Buru’ ceremony at his home in Opoda, marking the beginning of the community’s cultural farewell to the late former Prime Minister.
This ritual, deeply embedded in Luo traditions, saw elders leading a procession around the homestead while guiding a bull, symbolizing the final journey of their departed leader and the purification of the home.
Accompanied by traditional songs, chants, and drumming, the ceremony showcased the community’s respect, unity, and recognition of Raila’s legacy as a respected statesman.
The event attracted hundreds of mourners from the region, who participated in this symbolic ritual to pay tribute to Raila Odinga’s lifelong contributions to Kenya’s democracy and leadership.
Its an end for Raila
