Mama Ida tears up as city residents view Fidel’s body
Throngs of emotional mourners turned up to view the body of ODM leader Raila Odinga’s son, Fidel, at the Lee Funeral Home on Wednesday.
For more than three hours, beginning 1.50pm, people from all walks of life streamed into the mortuary and paid their last respects to Fidel, who died on Sunday night.
Some were overcome with grief and wailed after viewing the body, which was inside an immaculate maroon coffin placed in a tent.
A solemn Mr Odinga, who was accompanied by his family members, viewed the body of his son and quietly left.
His wife, Ida, arrived later and momentarily gazed into the coffin in silence.
DRIVEN AWAY
The grieving mother was then led away by two relatives and ushered into the Lee Funeral Home office. She was later driven away.
Mourners stood in a queue for a chance to view the body and old women were allowed to go first. Some sang dirges.
Police officers maintained security as some helped to control the crowd, while others consoled mourners who had been overcome by sorrow.
Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu was among the mourners who viewed the body.
“I pray that God may console them (Fidel’s parents),” said Mrs Ngilu.
Fidel will be buried on Saturday in Bondo.
The 41-year-old father of one was found unresponsive early Sunday by his wife, Ms Lwam Getachew Bekele, in a spare bedroom at their home in Karen, Nairobi.