Nyali residents hold prayer ceremony to honour Raila Odinga
By K24 Digital Reporter, October 25, 2025Barely a week after the burial of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, hundreds of his supporters in Nyali gathered for a special prayer and thanksgiving ceremony to mourn and celebrate the life of the departed statesman.
The supporters, drawn from Kongowea, Mkomani, Kadzandani, Freretown, and Ziwa la Ng’ombe wards, convened in Maweni to pay tribute to Raila Odinga.
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Dennis Aduda, a resident of Mkomani, said the late Prime Minister’s death is a gap that will remain unbridged for years to come, as his untimely demise has left his supporters with a big void.
“He has left us at a time when we needed him most as our father. He has been with us all along, directing us towards unity, love, and the agitation for democracy,” he stated, adding that Raila was a statesman who prioritised the nation over egocentric interests.
Aduda further noted that Nyali has not only lost a national icon but also one of its own, as the late Prime Minister maintained a home in the upmarket Nyali suburb.
Agneta James said they had dedicated the prayers to the former ODM leader following his demise in India, in accordance with Luo tradition.
“We decided to conduct the prayers today because, according to our Luo customs, the mourning period is four days, and today is a weekend when most people are at home. Some of us got the chance to travel to Bondo, but some didn’t and held the prayers in his honour,” James stated.
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The death, she noted, not only touches the Jaramogi family but the entire country, and the prayers are a show of solidarity with the late Raila’s kith and kin.
“He championed the rights of women. He supported and gave us opportunities as women through the 2010 Constitution of Kenya. He stood for women’s rights. If you look at women leaders in the August House, most of them were mentored by Baba,” James said.
Francis Mwanzia, a resident of Kongowea, extolled the Head of State for supporting Raila Odinga’s family and for honouring the late leader with a befitting state funeral.
“As we mourn, we remind ourselves that our leader may be gone, but he lives on in our hearts,” he said, also lauding Said Abdalla for sponsoring more than 100 residents to attend the funeral in Bondo, Siaya County.
Fatma Mapapa, a resident of Freretown, said Abdalla is following in Baba’s footsteps by uniting Nyali residents.
“No sitting MP has sponsored their constituents to attend the funeral in Bondo. Most of them rode on Baba’s popularity and support to clinch their seats; it is only Said Abdalla who supported us to attend the funeral,” she said.