Kisumu City is bracing for a solemn, high-profile arrival Friday morning as the body of the late Beryl Achieng Odinga is due to land at Kisumu International Airport, City Manager Michael Abala Wanga confirmed. City officials completed final checks on the reception stand Thursday night and say arrangements are in place to receive mourners, family and dignitaries who will pay tribute to the veteran Odinga family member.
“Kisumu City is fully prepared to receive the body of the late Beryl Achieng Odinga upon arrival at Kisumu International Airport tomorrow. We welcome all who wish to join us in receiving and honouring her,” Mr. Abala Wanga said after inspecting the reception stand.
Beryl Achieng Odinga — a daughter of Kenya’s founding Vice-President Jaramogi Oginga Odinga — died in late November while receiving treatment. The Odinga family has scheduled a requiem mass and a burial in Bondo, Siaya County this weekend; national and local leaders have attended memorial events in Nairobi in the days leading up to the funeral.
City teams have finalised a reception area at the airport and put in place crowd-management and logistics plans to ensure an orderly transfer of the remains to the family’s procession points. Officials say they expect large numbers of mourners given the Odinga family’s national profile and have coordinated with security and health agencies to manage the crowd and traffic flows. Earlier high-turnout funerals in Kenya have underlined the need for strict crowd control and coordination between national and county authorities.
Friday morning (arrival): Body expected to land at Kisumu International Airport; reception at the airport before transfer.
Requiem mass: Held earlier this week in Nairobi as the family received condolences.
Burial: Scheduled for Saturday, December 6, 2025, at the family burial ground in Kango Ka Jaramogi, Bondo, Siaya County.
Members of the Odinga family, political leaders and hundreds — possibly thousands — of mourners are expected to pass through Kisumu during the public viewing and the transfer to Bondo. Local leaders have been visible in the preparations and have reassured residents that the city will do everything possible to provide a dignified reception.
The Odinga family commands deep respect across Kenya’s political and social landscape. As Kisumu prepares to receive Beryl Achieng Odinga, officials say the mood will be mournful but orderly — a moment for the city to offer comfort to a family that has played a central role in Kenya’s modern history.
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