Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga has called upon the residents of Kisumu and Kenyans at large to maintain peace and order during and after the burial of his late brother, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Speaking on Friday, October 17 evening, Senator Oburu particularly pleaded with Kisumu City residents to conduct themselves with decorum when the body of Raila arrives at the Jomo Kenyatta (Mamboleo) Stadium on Saturday, October 18.
“I want to appeal and plead with my people to be peaceful, I know the pain you feel, but this is not the time to do harm in any way. Let us behave with dignity, we want our people to respect this occassion because Raila loved them so much. Let us not overdo our mourning, let us mourn in peace,” Oburu said, in his capacity as the co-chairperson of the National State Funeral Committee.
Oburu’s appeal comes in the midst of chaos witnessed during the public viewing exercise at Kasarani Stadium, Nairobi, on Thursday, October 16, where police were forced to lob teargas and fire in the air to disperse thousands of mourners who had filled the 60,000-capacity stadium.
“Please please please my brothers and sisters! When the body arrives in Kisumu, let us view the body peacefully… I would like to express my dissapointment that yesterday there was some teargas which were teargassed at Kasarani,” he added.
Oburu said that his late brother had been teargassed enough when he used to lead mega demonstrations against governments of the day against “injustices”, and he would not like to witness Raila been teargassed in his death.
“I don’t like to see my brother Raila Odinga teargassed in death. He has been teargassed enough when he was alive, let us not cause a situation where he is teargassed again in death. Let us behave in a way that does not give any reason for teargassing or police using any force.”
Journey to Kisumu
On Saturday, October 18, the mortal remains of Raila will be airlifted to Mamboleo Grounds in Kisumu by the Kenya Defence Forces, arriving at around 8 am.
Members of the public are requested to be settled at the venue by 7 am. There will be public viewing of the body for the most of the day, “until we are satisfied everyone has had a chance to respect our leader.”
Thereafter, the body will be taken to Bondo for an overnight stay before the burial on Sunday, October 19.
