ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna has asked supporters of the late Raila Odinga to stop visiting Mama Ida Odinga’s home in Karen, Nairobi, saying the overwhelming number of mourners has left her emotionally drained.
Speaking during a press briefing on Wednesday, Sifuna said the Odinga family was still in shock following the sudden death of the former Prime Minister.
He noted that even those closest to him did not anticipate his passing.
“Some of us spoke to mzee as late as yesterday and he was okay. So we didn’t really expect this,” Sifuna said, recalling his last interaction with the ODM leader.
The Nairobi Senator appealed to Kenyans and ODM members to show compassion by allowing the family to grieve in peace.
He explained that while the outpouring of love and condolences was appreciated, the physical visits had become too much for Mama Ida to handle.
“I want to make a very special request both as a leader in Nairobi and as SG of ODM: our people must now stop going to Mama Ida’s house because she is there alone and she is overwhelmed,” Sifuna stated.
To manage the high number of mourners, Sifuna revealed that the ODM leadership was considering setting up designated mourning centers across the country.
These locations would allow supporters to gather and pay tribute to Raila without crowding the Karen residence.
“We understand the love, and in fact, the discussion among the leadership is that we need to set up some points for people who would want to mourn mzee—it doesn’t necessarily have to be in Karen,” he added.
Raila Odinga, a former Prime Minister and long-serving opposition figure, passed away earlier this week, prompting a wave of grief and tributes across Kenya and abroad.
ODM leaders are expected to announce official mourning arrangements once consultations with the family are finalized.
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