The late Orange Democratic Party (ODM) leader and former Prime Minister, Honorable Raila Amolo Odinga, was laid to rest at his Opoda farm in Bondo, Siaya County, on October 19, 2025, marking the end of a monumental political era in Kenya.
His death and burial drew millions of mourners, both locally and internationally, who came to pay tribute to a man celebrated as the “father of Kenyan democracy.”
Odinga passed away in India, where he had traveled for specialized medical treatment. His burial, conducted with full state honors, was a somber national affair attended by dignitaries, political leaders, and citizens from across the country.
His resting place at Opoda farm has since become a site of pilgrimage for his supporters, who continue to visit to pay their last respects to the man many fondly called Baba.
However, just two weeks after his burial, a new twist has emerged—sparking shock, humor, and outrage in equal measure.
A petition has been filed by self-proclaimed political commentator and staunch Raila supporter Nuru Okanga, calling for the exhumation of Raila Odinga’s body and the retrieval of his tie and favorite hats from the coffin.
Okanga, known for his fiery speeches and passionate defense of Odinga’s political ideals, has made a bizarre claim that the late opposition leader appeared to him in a dream, instructing him to remove the tie he was buried with, which Raila allegedly said was “choking” him in the afterlife.
In a detailed written statement titled “Office of Nuru Okanga – Voice of the People: Baba Still Breathing Movement,” Okanga describes himself as “the prophet of democracy, the defender of Baba’s legacy, the man who doesn’t sleep when the spirit of the nation is restless.”
“Last night, I had a dream,” the petition reads. “Baba Raila Amolo Odinga himself appeared to me standing tall, glowing like morning light on Lake Victoria. He looked at me and said, ‘Okanga, my son, this tie is choking me. I can’t rest. And my hats—the ones I loved—are buried with me. Retrieve them for the people.’”
Okanga insists that this was not a mere dream but a divine vision and a national instruction that must be obeyed.
He further announced plans to deliver a formal petition to the Siaya County Government and the Ministry of Interior, demanding authorization to exhume Odinga’s remains under spiritual and cultural grounds.
“I woke up shaking like power blackout!” Okanga declared in a press briefing held in Nairobi. “This is not madness—it is a message from the spirit of Baba. We cannot let our hero suffer in silence beneath the soil.”
His statement has since gone viral on social media platforms, eliciting mixed reactions from Kenyans. While some have dismissed it as a publicity stunt, others have treated it with humor, creating memes and parody videos of Okanga’s “vision.”
Yet a section of Raila’s devout supporters, particularly from ODM grassroots branches, have surprisingly expressed partial support, insisting that cultural beliefs should not be ignored when it comes to the peace of the dead.
A Siaya County official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, termed the petition “insensitive and disrespectful,” noting that exhumations in Kenya are highly regulated and can only be approved under specific health or legal circumstances.
“We respect Mr. Okanga’s emotions, but there is no legal or religious basis for exhuming the body of a national hero over a dream,” the official stated.
Political analysts, meanwhile, have interpreted Okanga’s petition as a reflection of Raila Odinga’s deep symbolic presence in Kenyan politics—even in death. “Raila was more than a politician; he was a movement, a spirit that many Kenyans connected to emotionally,” said Dr. Wycliffe Muga, a political scientist. “What Okanga represents is the spiritual and emotional void that his passing has left among his followers.”
Religious leaders have also weighed in, urging restraint and respect for the deceased. Reverend Peter Omondi of the Anglican Church in Bondo advised Okanga to “seek prayer and counsel” instead of pursuing a physically disturbing act. “Dreams can be powerful, but they must be interpreted with wisdom,” the cleric noted.
Despite mounting criticism, Okanga remains steadfast, claiming that he will not rest until “Baba rests.” He has vowed to organize what he calls the “Baba Still Breathing March”—a peaceful procession to Opoda farm aimed at delivering “spiritual justice” to the late Raila Odinga.
As the nation continues to come to terms with the loss of one of its most influential leaders, the strange petition by Nuru Okanga has once again thrust the Odinga legacy into the public conversation—blurring the line between political devotion and spiritual belief.
Whether the authorities will take the petition seriously or dismiss it outright remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: even in death, Raila Odinga’s influence continues to stir the hearts and imaginations of millions of Kenyans—a true testament to a man whose spirit, as Okanga puts it, “still breathes through the people.”
About the Author
