Fidel Odinga laid to rest in Bondo

Ida Odinga and Lwam Bekele grief at the funeral service of Fidel Odinga held at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University. (Photo:Denish Ochieng/Standard)

Siaya, Kenya: Thousands of mourners thronged Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University grounds on Saturday for the burial of Fidel Castro Odinga.

Mourners chanted a local dirge: Jowi Jowi (to mean, buffalo) to demonstrate that Fidel was a hero.

The mourners also wore special regalia and carried swords, clubs, shields, spears and fly-whisks as they moved round the university grounds.

Security officers had a hard time controlling the huge crowd that turned up to bid farewell to Fidel Odinga.

The burial service was presided over by Bishop Macarios of the Greek Orthodox Church, in which Fidel was baptised.

Gor Mahia Football Club carried out the day as they turned up in large numbers to pay their last respect to Fidel Castro during his emotional send-off on Saturday.

The fans hummed praise songs and dirges to eulogise the late Fidel Odinga stating that he was a true Gor Mahia hero.

"Fidel was a friend of all the people and to be specific the Kogallo family. I sell peanuts in Kisumu, but when games are held in Nairobi I travel all the way to sell to the fans. Fidel would use as much as Sh3000 in purchasing peanuts just for the fans," said Ezekiel Kawere an ardent fan.

"I have lost a customer and real fan who motivated most of us. Someone who would chip in to support the club, not everyone has such a heart," added Kawere.

The emotional fans who mourned in peace stated that the late Fidel deserved respect and a peaceful send-off.

"We have not been harassed by anyone and we will not create any tension. We have lost a dear friend and disciplinarian. Too sad for us and he can never be replaced," said Jack Omondi a fan from Kisumu. Youths from the county eulogised the late Fidel as a social person, who loved giving out without complaining.

Because of his love for sports, rugby players and fans were among the thousands of mourners who made it to Bondo.

“He bought some of the uniforms our players wear during games and sometimes he chipped in financially, because he has walked with us we are here to give him a decent send-off .The last time I saw him was during Rugby Dala7s in Kisumu and he was jovial and a simple man,” said Tecklar Wasongo a fan from Kisumu.

Even as leaders mourned Cord leader Raila Odinga's son Fidel Odinga, the call to know the cause of his death featured prominently in the speeches.

"If a postmortem could not establish the cause of Fidel's death, then I tend to believe that there is a human hand in it. We are not going to allow this to happen again to us and we are demanding the Jubilee government to tell us the cause of his death," said Suba MP John Mbadi.