A month after the official October state and family funeral for Raila Amollo Odinga, a new wave of grassroots mobilization has emerged online and offline — calling for a “People’s Funeral” in December. Across Facebook, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and WhatsApp groups, Kenyans are forming what they call The December Battalion and The December Mourners — movements of remembrance, protest, and national identity.
According to supporters, this December commemoration will not be an act of rebellion, but rather a spiritual and symbolic second funeral for the man they refer to as The People’s President. Many within the groups say the October ceremonies were “for the State and the family,” while December will be “for the people and the cause.”
The Spirit That Refuses to Rest
Across Kenya and the diaspora, Raila’s death has sparked something beyond grief — it’s a rebirth of memory, a call to honor his political journey from Nyayo House cells to the corridors of power. Online discussions are filled with emotional tributes, photos, songs, and quotes, reflecting a shared conviction that Raila Odinga’s spirit has been immortalized by his followers.
In Luo cosmology and African tradition at large, great men don’t simply “die” — they transition into ancestral guardians. Many are already describing Raila as a living ancestor, whose spirit will continue to guide Kenya’s political conscience.
Bondo and Siaya Brace for December Pilgrimage
Locals in Bondo and Siaya County are already anticipating a surge in human traffic. Short-term rental hosts, hoteliers, and boda boda operators expect a second influx of mourners, pilgrims, and political faithful around Opoda Farm and Kang’o ka Jaramogi, where both Raila and his father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, rest.
Observers say December could see a scene similar to a national pilgrimage — a convergence of the faithful, nostalgic, and politically conscious — all paying homage to a man whose life story is inseparable from Kenya’s democratic evolution.
The Power of Symbolism
Even in death, Raila Odinga continues to embody the duality of Kenya’s struggle — hope and heartbreak, unity and resistance, victory and injustice. The December gatherings, whether formalized or spontaneous, signify more than mourning; they’re a statement of collective memory.
In a way, this is Kenya’s own form of people’s canonization — where history, politics, and spirituality meet to enshrine a leader in the hearts of millions.
In the words of one online post:
“Baba didn’t belong to one family. He belonged to all of us. October was goodbye — December will be remembrance.”
