Raila’s body taken to Parliament before State funeral at Nyayo Stadium
By Kenneth Mwenda, October 17, 2025The body of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has been taken to Parliament Buildings this morning, Friday, October 17, 2025, where it will lie in state before being moved to Nyayo National Stadium for a State Funeral set to begin at exactly 9 am.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, who chairs the National Committee for the State Funeral, confirmed that the ceremony at Nyayo will last two hours. It will feature full military honours, a sermon by the Anglican Church of Kenya, tributes from family members, and speeches by both local and foreign leaders.
Kindiki said the short stop at Parliament is meant to allow final preparations for the State Funeral and to honour the late opposition leader in a formal setting, as is customary for state funerals.
He urged mourners to remain calm and allow the programme to proceed smoothly.
Public viewing to continue at Nyayo Stadium
Kindiki announced that after the two-hour ceremony, members of the public will again have a chance to view Raila’s body at Nyayo Stadium. The public viewing will begin at noon and continue into the afternoon to allow as many Kenyans as possible to pay their last respects.
“There will be a public viewing of the remains of Raila Odinga after the State event, and therefore those who want to continue mourning our departed leader have no cause to worry. We will stretch the opportunity from around 12 noon to as far as possible to give the highest number of mourners an opportunity to mourn and pay last respects to their departed leader,” Kindiki said.
On Thursday, the government had initially planned to hold the body viewing at Parliament, but the event was later moved to Kasarani Stadium due to the overwhelming number of mourners. President William Ruto led the nation in viewing the body, followed by Raila’s widow, Ida Odinga, and members of the Odinga family.
At Kasarani, the body lay in an open area under tight security. Raila’s casket, draped in the national colours and bearing the Coat of Arms inside, symbolised the state honours accorded to him. His signature hat rested on the coffin, with an ODM scarf across his shoulders, a final mark of identity for a man who shaped Kenya’s political journey for decades.
Kindiki confirmed that several foreign heads of state and government officials had already arrived in the country for the funeral. The dignitaries are expected to join Kenyans at Nyayo Stadium to pay their final respects to the former Prime Minister.