Raila’s 72-Hour Burial Wish Caught Family Off Guard, Ida Opens Up

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 30 – The family of veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga was surprised by his request to be buried within 72 hours of his death, his widow Mama Ida Odinga has revealed.

Speaking during a memorial event showcasing Raila Odinga memorabilia, Mama Ida said she had no prior knowledge of the short burial timeline, which is unusual in Kenyan funeral traditions.

“We didn’t expect Raila to die at this time. It came to us as a surprise, and with it came another surprise that he had asked to be buried within 72 hours. I don’t know when he wrote this message or whether he wrote it in Kenya or somewhere else,” she said.

The tight schedule forced the family to rush funeral preparations to ensure the request was honoured. Mama Ida expressed gratitude to President William Ruto for intervening and helping the family meet the timeline.

“For us to beat that time, we are most grateful to His Excellency President William Samoei Ruto, who stood in strongly to make sure that his will was honoured,” she said.

Reflecting on her 52-year marriage to Raila, Mama Ida described him as a devoted husband, father, and family patriarch.

“Living as Raila’s wife was great fun. We had our good times and bad times, but it was the best thing that happened to me,” she said.

She added that the family—including the late Fidel Odinga, Rosemary Odinga, Raila Junior, and Winnie Odinga—remains committed to carrying forward Raila’s legacy and fulfilling his vision for Kenya.

Mama Ida also thanked Kenyans and the international community for their messages of condolence, noting that mourners continue to visit the family homes in Nairobi and Bondo.

“We are still receiving visitors and messages, and our homes remain open,” she said.

In a related development, President William Ruto recently nominated Mama Ida Odinga as Kenya’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), pending parliamentary approval. If confirmed, she would play a central role in global environmental diplomacy, with UNEP headquarters located in Nairobi, Kenya.

Mama Ida is a veteran educator and civic leader with extensive experience in women’s empowerment, education advocacy, and social justice initiatives. She also has business experience, including involvement in East African Spectre, a liquefied gas cylinder manufacturing company.

She has been recognized with numerous awards, including Honorary Doctor of Letters degrees and Kenya’s highest civilian honour, Elder of the Order of the Golden Heart (EGH), for her service to the country and community.