Kisumu refuses to sleep: Thousands hold all-night vigil as city awaits Raila’s body
By Ascah Mwango, October 18, 2025The lakeside city of Kisumu was awash with candlelight, song, and tears on Friday night as thousands of mourners filled the streets, holding an all-night vigil for the late opposition leader Raila Odinga.
From the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Sports Ground to the bustling Kisumu Boys roundabout, the air was thick with emotion and reverence.
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Groups of men and women—many dressed in black or wrapped in Kenyan flags—sang liberation songs and chanted Raila’s name deep into the night, waiting for the arrival of his body early Saturday morning, October 18, 2025.
Raila’s remains are expected to be flown to Kisumu at dawn and taken to Jomo Kenyatta Stadium in Mamboleo for public viewing, in what is anticipated to be one of the largest gatherings ever seen in the lakeside city.
Vigils stretched across the city’s neighbourhoods—Kondele, Nyalenda, Manyatta, and beyond—as residents lit candles and placed flowers by roadside murals and posters of the man they fondly called Baba.
The atmosphere was one of both mourning and pride—a collective farewell to a leader who defined the political heartbeat of the Luo nation and inspired generations across Kenya.
Kisumu, often described as the bedrock of Luo Nyanza politics, has long stood as Raila Odinga’s stronghold. For decades, he commanded unwavering loyalty here, not merely as a politician but as a symbol of resilience and reform.
Also watch: Kisumu residents and leaders mourn the death of Raila Odinga
“We are not just mourning a leader; we are celebrating a father who stood for us,” a mourner who spoke to the media said.
“Kisumu cannot sleep tonight because our hearts are awake with grief,” another mourner stated.
As dawn approaches, the city stands ready to receive its most beloved son one final time—a moment that marks both the end of an era and the beginning of a lasting legacy.
After the public viewing in Kisumu, Raila’s body will be transported by road to his ancestral home in Bondo, Siaya County, for internment.
The late ODM leader will be laid to rest on Sunday, October 19, 202,5, at his family’s ancestral land.