The body of Fidel Odinga arrived in Kisumu aboard a Kenya Air force plane on Friday morning.
The body was received by thousands of mourners who had waited patiently from the wee hours of the morning to pay their last respects to their fallen hero.
What mesmerised thousands of mourners was the fact that Fidel’s body was airlifted from Nairobi to Kisumu aboard Kenya Air force 212 plane. Apart from the body, the plane that touched down at 10.10 am, carried the widow Lwam Gatechew, Fidel’s younger brother Raila Odinga Junior, Lwam’s family members and friends.
There was another plane, Kenya Air force one 306 which arrived at 10am carrying the former PM Raila Odinga. He was accompanied by former Westlands MP Fred Gumo, Siaya Senator James Orengo, Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Chairman John Mbadi, Raila’s elder brother Oburu Oginga and other friends.
Earlier, there was a military chopper which had arrived before the two planes, then a Kenya Wildlife plane too, to set pace for the two planes carrying the bereaved families.
There were also two charter planes ferrying Fidel’s friends.
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The plane that ferried the body of Fidel Odinga from Nairobi to Kisumu. (Photo:Titus Munala/Standard)
Security was tight at the Kisumu International Airport as three land cruisers carrying General Service Unit (GSU) officers standby and at least four GSU and Kenya Police Service officers situated at every 100 metres from the airport to the Jomo Kenyatta Sportsground where viewing of the body was going to take place.
The Airport’s parking lot was full with relatives and friend’s cars that had come to pay the last respects to Fidel.
There were also two National Youth Service (NYS) lorries carrying officers attached to the elite RECCE squad.
Kisumu Rugby Football club (KRFC) players were also at the airport donning their jerseys in memory of their fallen Chairman.
Mourners were repulsed to avoid confusion that would have led to slow movement of the body from the airport to Jomo Kenyatta Sports ground.
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