A wave of emotion swept across Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on the morning of Thursday, October 16, as the body of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga touched down on Kenyan soil for the final time.
Thousands of mourners — some weeping, others chanting his name — thronged the airport grounds, determined to catch a glimpse of the flag-draped coffin.
In a powerful show of love and sorrow, crowds overwhelmed security and broke through barricades, desperate to say farewell to a man who shaped Kenya’s political soul.
Even bodaboda riders abandoned their routes, joining mourners scaling airport perimeter walls and pushing into restricted zones.
Their chants — “Baba! Baba!” — echoed through the morning air, a raw reminder of how deeply Raila Odinga touched lives.
Despite the surge, the crowd remained peaceful, and security teams eventually regained control.
Raila’s body, carried with full military honors on a gun carriage, is now making its way down Mombasa Road toward Lee Funeral Home, flanked by a human sea of grief and gratitude.
This is not just a procession — it is a people’s farewell to a leader whose voice stirred hope, whose struggle inspired generations, and whose final journey has united a nation in mourning.
World’s Most Tracked Flight: Raila Odinga’s Final Journey Halts a Nation in Grief at JKIA
As the setting sun bathed Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in gold, a single plane rose into the skies—quietly carrying the weight of a nation’s grief.
This was no ordinary flight. It carried home the body of Raila Amolo Odinga, Kenya’s beloved former Prime Minister and opposition icon, who passed away earlier this week in India.
Onboard were over 30 high-ranking leaders, among them Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, family members, and close allies — all tasked with the solemn duty of escorting Raila back to the land he loved and served.
But what followed was a phenomenon never before witnessed in Kenya’s history.
According to Flightradar24, the aircraft — KQ202 to Mumbai — quickly rose in global ranks, becoming the second-most tracked flight worldwide shortly after takeoff.
By midnight, it was the most tracked flight in the world, with over 7,000 people monitoring its journey in real-time.
This was not just a flight. It was a nation watching its history in motion.
After a brief two-hour ground time in Mumbai, the aircraft — now carrying Raila’s remains — began its journey home at 3:30 AM, now flying under a new callsign: RAO001, a touching tribute bearing Raila’s initials.
By the time it entered Kenyan airspace, all eyes were on the skies.
A Country at a Standstill
Across the country, regular activity ground to a halt. Roads cleared. TV screens lit up. Citizens gathered in silence and prayer.
From Nairobi to Kisumu, and Mombasa to Marsabit, Kenyans paused to follow the return of a man who had walked with them through the highs and lows of the nation’s democratic journey.
Upon landing, Raila’s body was received at JKIA with full military honours before beginning the solemn road procession to Lee Funeral Home.
The public outpouring of emotion was overwhelming — from tears to song, from prayer to protest — all united by love for the man they called Baba.
Final Farewell
- Thursday, October 16:
Arrival at JKIA and transfer to Lee Funeral Home. - Friday, October 17 – 8:00 AM:
State Funeral at Nyayo Stadium
Attended by dignitaries from across Africa and beyond, this will be a formal national farewell, honoring Raila’s status as a statesman. - Saturday, October 18:
The body will travel to Bondo, Siaya County, Raila’s ancestral home. - Sunday, October 19:
Private burial in Bondo — a final resting place for a leader who carried Kenya’s hopes, struggles, and dreams for decades.
Raila’s final flight was not just a return home — it was a farewell watched by the world, a goodbye that stopped a nation in its tracks.
