Photo courtesy|Thomas Mukoya/Reuters]

Former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, described as an “enigma,” has been laid to rest, with tens of thousands of mourners gathering at his family farm in siaya county for his final farewell.

The late former Prime Minister, who championed multi-party democracy and played a key role in helping Kenya achieve a people-driven constitution, died on Wednesday in India while undergoing treatment.

His burial ceremony, held in his political stronghold in western Kenya, drew massive crowds who came to pay their last respects to a man widely regarded as a symbol of democratic struggle in the country.

President William Ruto attended the funeral and pledged to honor Odinga’s legacy. He also promised to implement a development plan the two leaders had reportedly agreed on—aimed at lifting Kenya into the ranks of first-world nations.

The plan includes building standard road networks linking cities and rural areas, and the construction of a modern international airport.

Before dawn, mourners began arriving in Kisumu, a lakeside city near Lake Victoria. The region is not only Odinga’s home base, but also the ancestral homeland of former U.S. President Barack Obama, who posted a tribute on X, calling Odinga a “true champion of democracy.”