Explained: Why Raila Was Accorded a 17-Gun Salute During State Funeral
Raila joined a unique list of few Kenyan politicians who were accorded a State burial...
✨ Key Highlights
Raila Odinga, former Prime Minister of Kenya, was laid to rest at his rural home in Kang’o Ka Jaramogi, Bondo, Siaya County, on Sunday, October 19, with a rare 17-gun salute as part of his state funeral.
- The 17-gun salute is reserved for former heads of government like Prime Ministers and Vice Presidents, a category Raila Odinga fit into due to his service from 2008 to 2013.
- The ceremony included a military escort, ceremonial drill, and national tributes from dignitaries, with Raila's casket draped in the Kenyan flag.
- Raila Odinga joins a select group of Kenyans accorded state funerals, including past presidents Jomo Kenyatta, Daniel Arap Moi, and Mwai Kibaki.
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Raila Odinga Laid to Rest in Bondo with 17-Gun Salute - October 2025
Raila Odinga was laid to rest at his rural home in Kang’o Ka Jaramogi, Bondo, Siaya County, on Sunday, October 19. The state funeral included a rare 17-gun salute. The official State Funeral Service was held at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST), where thousands gathered. Odinga's body arrived at the university under military escort for the somber occasion. Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen had announced that to ensure an orderly process, only about 500 people would be permitted at the gravesite for the final burial rites.
