Kibaki, Raila lead Kenyans in paying last respects to Ojode

By EVELYN KWAMBOKA and NICHOLAS ANYUOR

Internal Security Assistant minister Joshua Orwa Ojode will be buried at his home in Unga, Kanyamwa Central, Ndhiwa District today.

President Kibaki, and Prime Minister Raila Odinga will be among mourners expected to pay their last tribute.

Ojode died alongside Internal Security Minister George Saitoti, two pilots and two bodyguards in a chopper crash last Sunday. Saitoti was buried at his Kitengela home Saturday.

By Saturday mid-day, preparation for Ojode’s burial were in top gear, with family members from Ratang’a and from Mary Ojode’s family in Migori, working together to ensure everything was in place ahead of the ceremony.

Homa Bay County Commissioner, Samwel Otieno, said they had made detailed security arrangement for the function, with a contingent of General Service Unit personnel and dozens of National Youth Service officers. “We have no problem in terms of security. Already we have adequate personnel and more are expected on the burial day,” he said.

Presidential catering and security teams were also busy setting up tents in readiness for today’s function. The seats were transported from Nairobi using a 40-tonne trailer.

Inside Ojode’s compound, slaughtering of 15 bulls and several sheep started in the morning, with cooks being assigned duties in a makeshift kitchen.

Mourners from Ratanga trooped to the Unga homestead, with men singing dirges as they went to view the body in casket draped in the national flag.

There was adequate security, with the Administration Police officers stationed at the gates to the Unga homestead to regulate the number of mourners entering.

“What happened on the arrival day was a simple thing and it was resolved after the body had been taken to Ratanga. They just wanted to see the body arriving at his Ratanga home and this is what happened. It is now fine and the programme is progressing well,” said Homa Bay County Council Chairlady Dorcas Matunga.

By Friday evening, hotel rooms in major towns in Homa Bay County had been fully booked.
The body was brought home on Friday, but there was a standoff between the family and mourners after the latter demanded to view the remains of the MP.