"Kenya has held a state funeral for revered opposition leader Raila Odinga, a day after security forces killed several people after opening fire to disperse crowds of mourners at a stadium hosting a public viewing of his body. Thousands of mourners gathered amid a heavy security presence at Nairobi's Nyayo National Stadium on Friday, waving white handkerchiefs and dancing at the venue, which was bedecked with large banners featuring Odinga's portrait, while others blew whistles and vuvuzelas, a brightly-coloured plastic horn."
"Odinga, 80, died from a suspected heart attack at a health clinic in southern India on Wednesday, triggering a huge outpouring of grief across much of his home country. Affectionately known as Baba (father in Swahili), Odinga was arguably the most important political figure of his generation in Kenya. Though mainly known as an opposition figure, Odinga became prime minister in 2008 and also struck a political pact with former President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2018, and with Ruto last year in a career of shifting alliances."
"The mourners who attended Friday's ceremony paid tribute to Odinga's efforts as an activist. Raila Odinga, the father of democracy in Kenya, was a selfless leader who would risk everything even his life to make Kenya work, Jean Jerry Abeka, 24, told the Reuters news agency. Odinga had, however, become a controversial figure"
Raila Odinga's body will next travel to his family's home region of western Kenya before a private burial service this weekend. Kenya held a state funeral after security forces killed several people when they opened fire to disperse mourners at a stadium hosting a public viewing. Thousands of mourners gathered at Nairobi's Nyayo National Stadium amid heavy security, waving white handkerchiefs, dancing, and sounding whistles and vuvuzelas under banners bearing his portrait. President William Ruto, parliamentary and judicial leaders, and foreign dignitaries attended. Odinga, 80, died of a suspected heart attack in India, and was a central, controversial figure in Kenyan politics who served as prime minister, forged key political pacts, led pushes for multi-party democracy, and was credited as a driving force behind the 2010 constitution.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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