Political leadership? Oburu clarifies as Raila Junior takes over Odinga family
By Paulette Mboga, October 23, 2025Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga has clarified that the installation of Raila Odinga Junior as the new head of the Odinga family is purely a traditional and domestic affair, not a political one.
Speaking during the ceremony held at the family’s home in Bondo, on Thursday, October 23, 2025, Oburu said the event marked the official handover of family leadership following the death of former Prime Minister Raila Amollo Odinga.
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“This is not political leadership, but leadership of the home. He is still under me,” Oburu said, emphasising that the transition was guided by Luo customs and family values.
The symbolic event was attended by close relatives and Luo elders, who witnessed the ritual that formally passed the seat of authority in the Odinga home to Raila Junior. Oburu explained that the installation is part of long-standing Luo traditions meant to maintain unity and structure within the family after the death of its head.
Also Watch: Raila Junior Crowned as Odinga Family Head in Bondo Ceremony
Ceremony marks end of mourning
Oburu said the event was a simple but meaningful ceremony that signifies both renewal and continuity.
“This is a traditional ceremony, which is a very short one performed before the camera because it is not a secret. It is a symbolic ceremony to hand over the seat of power in the home to Junior Raila, the son of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. He is now the leader of the home together with his mother,” Oburu explained.
He added that the installation coincided with the fourth day of the mourning period, which in Luo tradition marks the end of funeral activities. “We are going to do the normal rituals, and we are going to start because this is the fourth day,” Oburu said.
According to Oburu, Raila Junior’s role will be to guide the family with the support and wisdom of his mother, Ida Odinga.
“The mother will be able to give him the advice he needs,” he said. The ceremony also signalled that daughters of the family who are married could now return to their homes, as the mourning period had officially ended.
The installation of Raila Junior represents the continuation of the Odinga family lineage and the preservation of cultural traditions that have been passed down through generations.