The late Former Prime minister Raila Odinga //Photo courtesy
The government has declared Friday, October 17, 2025, a national public holiday to honour the late former Prime Minister Raila Amollo Odinga, whose death in India on Wednesday has plunged the nation into mourning.
In a special issue of the Kenya Gazette released on Thursday, Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen announced the decision under the Public Holidays Act (Cap 110), allowing Kenyans to mourn and reflect on the legacy of a man whose political journey shaped the nation’s democracy.
“It is notified for the general information of the public that Friday, the 17th October, 2025, shall be a public holiday in honour of the departed former Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Raila Amollo Odinga,” read the gazette notice signed by Murkomen and dated October 16.
The declaration means that all government offices, learning institutions, and most private entities will remain closed on Friday as Kenyans observe the national day of mourning. The Interior Ministry further indicated that the day will feature special prayers and remembrance ceremonies across the country.
Odinga, 80, died in Kochi, India, on Wednesday morning after suffering a cardiac arrest. He had travelled there for medical treatment. Efforts to resuscitate him at Devamatha Hospital were unsuccessful, doctors confirmed.
President William Ruto led the nation in mourning, describing Odinga as “a gallant democrat and a resilient patriot who dedicated his life to the pursuit of justice and equality.” The Head of State also declared a seven-day period of national mourning, with flags flying at half-mast across all public buildings and missions abroad.
“Kenya has lost one of its greatest sons,” President Ruto said in a televised address. “Raila Odinga’s courage and sacrifice in pursuit of democracy have left an indelible mark on our republic.”
A national funeral planning committee chaired by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and Senator Oburu Odinga has confirmed that the body of the former Prime Minister will arrive in Nairobi on Thursday morning aboard a Kenya Air Force plane.
After arrival, the body will be taken to Parliament Buildings where it will lie in state for public viewing. A state funeral service is scheduled for Friday, October 17, the same day designated as a public holiday, at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi.
The body will then be flown to Kisumu on Saturday for a public procession and viewing at Moi Stadium, before being transported to Bondo, Siaya County, for burial on Sunday, October 19, at his family home in Kango Ka Jaramogi.
According to the family, Odinga had expressed a wish to be buried within 72 hours of his death, but the government and the family agreed to extend the period to allow for public participation and official protocol.
Messages of condolence have continued to pour in from across the continent and beyond. African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat hailed Odinga as “a fearless voice for democracy,” while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described him as “a close friend of India and a great son of Africa.”
Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo called Odinga’s passing “a continental loss,” recalling their shared experiences during Kenya’s mediation talks in 2008.
In Nairobi, several churches and mosques held evening vigils, while supporters gathered at Uhuru Park and Kibera, lighting candles and singing liberation songs associated with Odinga’s long political journey.
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