The ugly incidents that took place at Fidel Odinga’s burial on Saturday were an embarrassment and downright disrespectful, Mrs. Ida Odinga has said. Denouncing the heckling of leaders at the burial site at Kango Ka Jaramogi on Sunday, Ida dissociated her family from them.
Ida said the views expressed by some leaders were not necessarily the views of her family. She however asked the leaders and mourners to pardon those involved.
Among those heckled were Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu and her Defence counterpart Raychelle Omamo.
Omamo was reading a condolence message from President Uhuru Kenyatta when the crowd abused her and threw empty plastic bottles towards her.
Speaking at the same site, Raila Odinga, the habit was primitive and the youth were an embarrassment.
Speaking in dholuo, Mr Odinga said it was wrong for anyone to boo a person who had travelled from far to stand in solidarity with a bereaved family.
“In our culture, we believe whoever stands with you at a time of grief is your friend,” he told the mourners. “How do you turn around and boo such people and try to stop them from speaking?”
Among those heckled even as Mr Odinga gestured at the youths to calm down were Cabinet Secretaries Raychelle Omamo (Defence) and Charity Ngilu (Lands and Housing).
The youth threw plastic bottles at Ms Omamo, who withstood heavy heckling as she read a condolence message from President Kenyatta.
The Cord leader specifically condemned the booing of Ms Omamo, whom he described as a daughter of Bondo known very well to its residents.
She is the daughter of former minister William Odongo Omamo, who was once the MP for Bondo and Muhoroni.
“Uhuru was with me at home and in church to mourn Fidel. He deployed the entire State machinery to ensure Fidel gets a decent burial, then all you do is shout down his messenger. It is wrong!” said Mr Odinga. The conduct was a show of lack of respect among the youths, whom he said needed the help of those they shouted at, he added.
