- Stephen Letoo described the emotional scenes when Raila Odinga’s body was received in India before being flown home
- The plane continued to fly as prayers were said before the casket was placed on the Kenya Airways flight back to Nairobi
- A Citizen TV reporter said the body was not viewed in India, as it had only been placed in a temporary box for transportation.
Shortly after President William Ruto announced the news of his death Raila Odingaa message was quickly sent to pick up the body in India.
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Citizen TV journalist Stephen Letoo has given an exciting account of the sad events that happened in India when the Kenyan delegation arrived.
Letoo, who was part of a team of journalists accompanied by government representatives and families, said the situation at the airport was one of sadness and disbelief.
According to him, the events happened so quickly that even those present struggled to process the reality of Raila’s death.
“When we landed, the first thing I saw was the coffin. The other person I saw was Maurice Ogeta. There were four people surrounding the coffin, and many officers of the Indian army,” Letoo narrated.
He described the scene as emotional, and delegates immediately went into prayer near the flag-draped casket.
Within a short time, arrangements were made to bring the body back home.
“The plane was never turned off. Its engine continued to work. When we got there, we prayed with the body, which was wrapped in a Kenyan flag, and it was placed directly in the baggage compartment of the Kenya Airways plane,” he said.
Why the Kenyans sent to India did not look at Raila’s body
Letoo explained that the delegation did not view Raila’s body in India, as it had not yet been prepared for public viewing.
“The body was not prepared for viewing. It was placed in a temporary coffin to be transported back home. We thought that as soon as we arrived in Kenya, the viewing would happen,” he explained.
The journalist went on to share a touching conversation with Ogeta, Raila’s long-time bodyguard and aide, who had accompanied the former prime minister in his final days.
“The first words that Ogeta said to me were, ‘Mzee has left us, I don’t believe’ (The old man has left us, I don’t believe). I hugged him and told him, “Let’s be strong. This is our last job, we cannot be weak. Play your part and I’ll play mine, just like we did during the campaign.” And that’s what we did, despite Baba’s pain, Letoo said.
Letoo recalls Winnie’s emotional moments with Raila’s hat
He revealed that the mourning period was particularly difficult, filled with sleepless nights and early mornings, while the delegates felt a great responsibility to honor Raila for the last time through their work.
Among Letoo’s most distressing sights is the state of Winnie OdingaRaila’s daughter, who was with him in his last hours.
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He said Winnie looked uncomfortable and was clutching her father’s signature hat, something that was an inseparable part of her identity.
“He kept holding the hat. He would put it down for a few seconds, then pick it up again. To Winnie, the hat was his father. And when we landed, he presented it to his mother like a baby,” Letoo remembered.
Where was Raila buried?
Following Raila’s death, Ruto announced seven days of mourning for the democratic leader.
Raila was buried in his father Kang’o Ka Jaramogi’s house there BondoSiaya county.
The event which took place on Sunday, October 19, was attended by Ruto, the former president Uhuru Kenyatta among other prominent leaders.
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