Senator Dr Oburu Odinga, Dr Wenwa Akinyi, and Ruth Adhiambo are seated beside the coffin of their late sister Beryl Odinga, during a Requiem Mass at Consolata Shrine on December 3, 2025. /DOUGLAS OKIDDY
ODM party leader Oburu Odinga has clarified why his late sister Beryl Odinga will be buried at their Kango Ka Jaramogi home, saying the family is respecting tradition while adapting to changing realities.
Oburu said the decision had raised questions within the community, especially because Luo tradition dictates that a woman should be buried outside the compound or a married woman at her husband's home.
He noted, however, that the family will observe all other traditional rites associated with a woman’s burial.
“We know our traditions, and we respect them. Our sister will be buried with her head facing the gate, as the culture requires,” he said.
He explained that the only variation is that she will be interred at the family’s designated gravesite within their home, an area he said was identified by their late father as the resting place for all family members.
“The world has changed, and land is no longer what it used to be. Our father showed us where every member of the family should be buried. We are simply following that guidance,” Oburu said.
He added that while the Luo community has strong burial customs, families must also use wisdom and adapt when circumstances change, noting that older homesteads and lifestyles were very different from today’s realities.
“We are not abandoning our culture, and we are not throwing away our sisters,” he said.
He added “We are honouring her and honouring the instructions given to us by our father.”
Oburu appealed to elders to understand the family’s position, saying the decision was made out of respect, not defiance.
“If this appears to go against what has been done traditionally, we ask for your understanding. Times have changed, and we must balance tradition with present-day realities,” he said.
The burial has sparked discussion in the community, with some people viewing the move as a modern interpretation of Luo customs, while others feel it stretches long-standing cultural boundaries.
The controversy stems from claims by some Luo cultural custodians that the burial should follow customary rites, which include specific rituals and ancestral customs.
Critics argue that failing to adhere strictly to these practices disrespects tradition and undermines community norms.
Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo has also come to the defense of the burial arrangements for Beryl, challenging critics who argue that the interment deviates from traditional Luo customs.
Odhiambo said while traditions are important, they should not overshadow individual preferences, especially in matters of burial.
“All those who firmly opine that Beryl Odinga should be buried according to Luo customs, please confirm that your six lower teeth have been removed in strict conformity to culture,” she said, in a statement that has sparked widespread debate.
"If not, you are 'boiling'—iwalo!" she added, invoking a popular Luo expression for hypocrisy.
Beryl, who passed away on November 25, 2025, while undergoing treatment at a Nairobi hospital, was the younger sister of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
A distinguished professional and trailblazer, Beryl’s life spanned continents and careers, leaving an indelible mark in both Kenya and Zimbabwe.
Beryl will be laid to rest this Saturday, December 6, 2025, in Bondo at Kang'o Ka Jaramogi, where a quiet corner of the Odinga family cemetery awaits her later mother, Mama Mary Juma Odinga.
The burial plan was confirmed by Raila Odinga Junior following consultations with family elders, including Dr. Oburu Oginga.
Two of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga’s widows, Betty and Susan Oginga, as well as Beryl’s stepbrother, Omondi Odinga, attended the meeting.
