The late Beryl Odinga, sister to former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and to Siaya Senator Dr. Oburu Odinga, will be laid to rest today, Saturday, December 6, 2025, at the family’s Kango Ka Jaramogi home.
The decision marks a significant shift from long-held Luo customs, which traditionally require a married woman to be buried at her husband’s home.
Beryl passed away on November 25 while receiving treatment at a Nairobi hospital.
Ahead of her burial, Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga called for calm and dignity, urging mourners to honour the peaceful character her sister embodied.
“Beryl was a peaceful woman full of decorum. Kindly let us uphold peace,” she said. “Let us give her the kind of send-off she would have loved.”
Ruth confirmed that Beryl’s body arrived at Kisumu International Airport on Friday morning, where a memorial service was held before the family travelled to Bondo for the final rites.
Oburu: Why we are burying Beryl Odinga at Kang’o ka Jaramogi
As the burial preparations continued, Senator Oburu Odinga addressed growing debate within the community over why his sister would be interred at their family home rather than her husband’s, noting that the family is balancing cultural tradition with modern realities.
He explained that while Luo customs dictate specific burial locations for women, the Odinga family would still observe key traditional rites, including burying Beryl with her head facing the gate.
Oburu said the only deviation from custom is geographical — not cultural — since their late father had designated a family gravesite within the homestead for all members.
“The world has changed, and land is no longer what it used to be,” he said. “Our father showed us where every member of the family should be buried. We are simply following that guidance.”
He added that traditions must be applied with wisdom as circumstances evolve.
“We are not abandoning our culture,” he said. “We are honouring our sister and honouring the instructions given by our father.”
The decision has prompted discussion among community members, with some viewing it as a modern interpretation of Luo burial norms, while others believe it stretches long-standing boundaries.
In a related development, Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo defended the Odinga family amid criticism from some cultural custodians who argued the burial goes against Luo traditions.
Odhiambo challenged critics to examine their own adherence to customs, pointing out that few people follow traditional practices to the letter.
“All those insisting that Beryl should be buried strictly according to Luo customs, please confirm that your six lower teeth have been removed,” she said, invoking a popular phrase used to call out hypocrisy. “If not, you are boiling!”
Odhiambo noted that while traditions matter, they should not override individual preferences or contemporary realities. She argued that culture evolves with time and that rigidly enforcing old rituals risks excluding and dividing communities.
