In a poignant reflection, Captain SavieMaria Ondego described the extraordinary flight RAO001, which repatriated the body of former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga from India to Kenya.

The Kenya Airways Boeing 737-800 touched down at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Thursday, October 16, 2025, at 9:33 a.m., receiving a historic water salute, the first such tribute for a Kenyan leader. Jets of water arched from fire trucks as the aircraft rolled to a stop, symbolising national reverence.

“I’m SavieMaria Ondego, knee chariot, I’m a captain on the 737-800,” Captain Ondego began, her voice steady in recounting the journey. The flight, originally scheduled as KQ203, changed its call sign to RAO001 in honor of the late leader.

“It was a surreal moment,” she said in a Kenya Airways X video capturing the weight of the mission.

“Every day is not a normal day in our job, and just like any flight, we woke up to just fly our roster. But there was the heaviness and the responsibility to our country that made it not a normal flight.”

Emotional journey for crew

As the plane prepared for takeoff from India, Captain Ondego addressed the passengers. “Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. To be honest, I went to speak and nothing came out. And I had to come off the speaker, take a deep breath, and then try again. And my voice was a little shaky, but it was important to me and somehow the words flowed.” Her message conveyed the crew’s solemn duty, bridging the skies with the nation’s grief.

Onboard, Jason Mose, the in-flight performance manager, shared the emotional toll. “My name is Jason Mose, in-flight performance manager. This was both emotional and overwhelming to me, you know, as an individual. But I knew that I had to go because I was representing Kenya, I was representing the country. And it was an honor for me to be the one mandated by the company to go and accompany the flight and make sure that all protocols are observed and the honorable Raila Odinga is brought safely home.”

The crew’s empathy extended deeply. “My empathy goes to the family of Honourable Raila Odinga, to Kenyans and even the Kenya Airways fraternity whom Honourable Raila Odinga supported very much as a company,” Mose added. “We understood the importance of Kenya Airways to the economy of Kenya. And we pushed for our growth and sustainable development in Africa.”

A nation united

Their unity shone through: “To our country, to Kenyans all around, to the family of Honorable Raila Odinga. We are with them. Our hearts are with them. We love them and we are one as a country going forward.”

Upon landing, President William Ruto, former President Uhuru Kenyatta, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, and family members stood ready. The coffin, draped in the national flag, was carefully carried from the plane amid tight security. From early morning, thousands of Kenyans filled Nairobi’s Central Business District, lining the streets, waving flags, and holding portraits of Raila to pay respects.

The government declared Friday, October 17, a public holiday to honor his legacy. A State Funeral Service was held at Nyayo Stadium from 8 a.m., followed by an overnight vigil at his Karen residence. On Saturday, the body was flown to Kisumu and transported to Bondo, Siaya County, for burial on Sunday, per Anglican Church traditions.

Raila Odinga, aged 80, passed away on Wednesday in India after suffering a cardiac arrest. His homecoming closed a historic chapter in Kenya’s story, marked by resilience, reform, and justice.