By P, KNA
Tens of mourners thronged the Opoda farm, home of the former Prime Minister, Raila Amollo Odinga who passed on early this morning in India.
Carrying twigs and clubs, the mourners, young and old wailed and cursed death, wondering why it had to happen now.
Among the mourners who visited Raila’s rural home was Siaya governor, James Orengo, who later addressed the media, describing the late as a towering figure of Kenya’s second liberation.
And, as the sombre mood engulfed the county and Kenya at large, Orengo announced the suspension of all the plenary sessions and side events of the ongoing Siaya International Trade and Investment Conference (SITICO) in honour of the former statesman.
“The sun has set on a colossal figure. Kenya has lost, not just a politician, but a revolutionary, a visionary and a singular force, whose shadow stretched across five decades of our nation’s most consequential history,” Orengo mourned.
The governor was flanked by Siaya Women representative, Dr. Christine Ombaka, Nyanza regional commissioner, Flora Mworoa and County Commissioner, Norbert Komora.
Orengo said Siaya as a county and the entire Luo Nyanza region has lost a patriarch, “and the symbol of resilience and the relentless champion of our political and economic rights.”
The governor described how, for decades, Raila and him stood shoulder to shoulder in the trenches of struggle for democracy, constitutionalism and justice in Kenya.
“We shared prison cells, faced exile and navigated the complex, often dangerous waters of political opposition against a repressive state. The democracy, the multi-party space and the constitutional freedoms Kenyans enjoy today bear the indelible mark of his sacrifice and endurance,” he said, adding that Raila’s life was fully committed to the ideal of a fair and just society.
Orengo urged Kenyans to stand together during this moment of national bereavement. “Let us celebrate the life of the man who sacrificed his life for our common good,” said Orengo.
Meanwhile in Siaya, youths demonstrated along the streets singing mourning dirges in honour of Raila Odinga.
However, some of the unscrupulous youths took advantage of the situation and harassed traders, looting their goods.
Among the victims of the marauding youths were some exhibitors at the Siaya International Trade and Investment Conference (SITICO), who lost banners and goods.
A hotelier who had a temporary eating joint suffered huge loss, as the youths broke in and ate all the food before fleeing.