AIRFARES on the Nairobi–Kisumu route have sharply increased with most flights fully booked between yesterday and Saturday, ahead of the burial of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Buses on the Nairobi–Siaya route are also fully booked with both bus companies and some airlines forced to add frequencies.
Hotels in Kisumu and Siaya have also reported a spike in bookings as local and international delegates head to the Nyanza region for Raila’s burial, scheduled for Sunday.
Raila’s body arrived in Nairobi on Thursday morning with a public viewing at Kasarani Stadium. A State Funeral Service is set for today (Friday).
It is expected in Kisumu on Saturday where there will also be a public viewing before proceeding to Bondo, Siaya county where funeral service and burial rites are set for Sunday.
Raila wished to be buried within 72 hours after his death.
A spot check by the Star yesterday noted flights to Kisumu from Nairobi are fully booked with fares doubling.
For instance, low-cost carrier Jambojet which is a major player in Kenya’s domestic air travel was fully booked, with the airline forced to put in two additional flights on the route.
Fares have also gone up from between Sh8,300 and Sh10, 300 to Sh19,500 for Thursday. Prices for Friday were ranging between Sh10,300 and Sh15,000 on a one-way ticket.
Jambojet CEO Karanja Ndegwa attributed the price jump to the load factor, where most planes are doing almost empty returns to Nairobi.
“Today (Thursday) we are fully booked. We have added two flights for Saturday to meet the high demand. Today we have an almost three-hour delay because of the general operations at JKIA but everybody who had booked will travel, that we assure,” Ndegwa told the Star, assuring travellers of continued smooth operations and low-cost fares.
Kenya Airways tickets had a starting price of Sh16,520 on Thursday with Friday tickets going for an average Sh21,300. Renegage Air was fully booked on Thursday with a few spaces left for Friday. Prices had shot up to Sh18,600 from as low as Sh4,500 during low seasons.
Safarilink’s prices were avareging between $106 (Sh13,724) and $129 (Sh16,702) on the Nairobi-Kisumu route.
Buses on the Nairobi-Siaya route were also not available with a few seats for Kisumu bound buses.
“We are fully booked for Siaya maybe you travel to Kisumu or other near destinations then connect to Siaya,” a booking clerk at Easy Coach told the Star.
Matatu Owners Association president Albert Karakacha, who mourned the passing of Raila, noted a rise in demand for travel between Nairobi and other major towns to Kisumu and Siaya, ahead of the funeral.
He noted that some Sacco's, among them Umoinner, Embasava and Forward Saccos have made arrangements to transport mourner for free to Siaya, with support from local leaders who have chipped in on fuel.
“We urge our members, who are charging not to increase fares, if possible let travellers to Raila's funeral be carried for free. Let us send off our leader in a peaceful and organised way,” Karakacha said.
“This is a monumental loss to our nation—the passing of a towering statesman, a fearless defender of democracy and a true patriot whose courage, sacrifice and vision shaped Kenya’s political landscape for nearly five decades. His lifelong dedication to freedom, justice, and good governance inspired hope even in the darkest of times.”
A spot check by the Star also noted most hotels in Kisumu and Siaya were fully booked between Friday and Saturday, with Nairobi also recording a surge on Thursday and Friday.
“Hotels are doing okay,” Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers CEO, Mike Macharia, told the Star.
“His (Raila) prophetic leadership profoundly shaped Kenya's political landscape and inspired countless individuals across many sectors, including our hospitality industry, where his commitment to fostering inclusive growth and sustainable development resonated profoundly,” the association said in a statement.
