Kenya temporarily suspended flights on Thursday after thousands of people stormed the country’s main airport to receive the body of opposition leader Raila Odinga, a day after he died in India.
Crowds later swarmed the premises of parliament buildings, where the body was due for public viewing, forcing authorities to change memorial plans and relocate the coffin to Kasarani Stadium - the country’s biggest stadium.
Such fervour towards Odinga should not be so surprising. His force of personality gave him an outsize hold on Kenyan people despite five failed attempts at the presidency.
A devout football fan, he employed figurative football commentary at political rallies to portray himself as a captain leading his allies against defenders of opposing camps. His metaphoric dribbling and scoring against opponents often drew cheers of jubilation among his supporters.
Arsenal fan
Odinga was a familiar face during matches of the national football team, the Harambee Stars, where he routinely encouraged players in the dressing room. He was also a fan of English football club Arsenal and a longtime patron of local football club Gor Mahia.
In a statement, Gor Mahia said Odinga's death was an "immeasurable loss" to the club.
"Raila Odinga was more than a patron, he was our pillar, a passionate supporter and a father figure... He stood with us through triumphs and challenges, offering invaluable guidance, resources and his influential voice to champion our cause," it said.
Football Kenya Federation has suspended all premier league matches during the period of national mourning.
“A statesman, visionary leader, and passionate supporter of local football, his legacy will continue to inspire,” the federation said in a post on X social media platform.
‘Nobody Can Stop Reggae’
In 2021, faced with opposition against a plan to make fundamental changes to the country's constitution, Odinga responded to critics with a chorus of Lucky Dube's song ‘Nobody Can Stop Reggae’.
Five High Court judges blocked the initiative, popularly referred to as the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), as being irregular, illegal and unconstitutional. But Odinga turned the setback into a campaign springboard which used reggae songs as campaign anthems.
Beats of reggae music gave his public rallies the aura of concerts and his slow-motion dance to Bob Marley’s ‘One Love’ and Busy Signal’s ‘Reggae music again’ would be nicknamed the Raila Dance - and was widely imitated in social gatherings.
On Thursday, as Odinga’s body returned to Kasarani stadium for public viewing, crowds waving branches were not only bidding farewell to a respected leader and but also to a football fan who loved the sport.
