Raila Odinga’s funeral, 17 cannons of honor are fired at his grave

• Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga was buried at his home in Kang’o Ka Jaramogi after receiving 17 gun salutes
• The honor reserved for retired Prime Ministers, Vice Presidents, and senior military officers, recognized Raila’s service in Kenya
• His grave is next to that of his father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, symbolizing the continuity of the political legacy of generations

Sorrow spread in the house of the ancestors Raila Odinga in Kang’o Ka Jaramogi, Bondo, while the former prime minister was accorded full military honors before being buried.

The solemn ceremony, marked by a 17-gun salute, marked the passing of the last of its most prominent and long-serving political figures.

After a public funeral service at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST), Raila’s coffin was taken in a military convoy to his family home.

Where was Raila Odinga buried?

Hundreds of mourners lined the streets leading to the palace, waving flags and singing hymns to “Baba,” whose decades of public service had shaped the political landscape of modern Kenya.

Also read

Raila Odinga: The wife and children of the former prime minister burst into tears as the body was lowered into the grave

At his home, military personnel stood at attention as the national anthem was played for the last time.

Moments later, the thunderous sound of a 17-gun salute broke the silence, each round echoing through the sky. Bondo.

The event was attended by the President William Rutosenior military commanders, family members, and close associates who witnessed the lowering of Raila’s coffin near the grave of his father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, the first vice president of Kenya.

Raila’s tomb was prepared near his father’s resting place, a symbolic gesture that shows the continuity of the legacy that has profoundly affected Kenya’s democracy.

Why Raila received a 17 cannon salute

In military tradition, the number of shots fired is determined by the rank or status of the dignitary.

The 17-gun salute is a rare honor reserved for retired prime ministers, vice presidents, or senior military officers of special rank.

Raila qualified for this distinction as the former prime minister of Kenya between 2008 and 2013, a role that placed him among the highest positions in the national leadership.

Also read

Oburu Says President Ruto Paid For Raila’s Medical Trip To India Before His Death

Above the leadership is a 21-gun salute, Kenya’s highest military honor, reserved for a sitting head of state, symbolizing supreme authority and national independence.

Below is a 19-gun salute, given to retired presidents or senior officials who once held that office.

Raila’s widow, Ida Odingawith family members, laid a wreath on his casket while military officers folded the national flag and handed it over to the family, a mark of honor and respect for his service to Kenya.

Read ENGLISH VERSION

Do you have an exciting story that you would like us to publish? Please contact us via news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690.

Source: TUKO.co.ke