Kenya at crossroads as nation reels from Odinga's death
16 minutes ago Share Save Wycliffe Muia Nairobi and Shingai Nyoka Kisumu Share Save
Donwilson Odhiambo/Getty Images Raila Odinga has been a towering political figure in Kenya for more than three decades
As the echo of the 17-gun salute thundered through Nyamira village on Sunday evening, followed by the roar of a military fly-past, a profound silence descended across Kenya. Amid the emotion lay the coffin of a man who never wore the ultimate political crown, yet reigned in the hearts of millions. The "people's president": Raila Amolo Odinga. Odinga's death last week at the age of 80 has shaken the nation to its core. Analysts and headline-writers have been underscoring the near-irreplaceable void he leaves - not only in politics, but in the very conscience of the country, with comparisons drawn to Nelson Mandela, who became South Africa's first black president after white-minority rule ended.
Continue Reading on BBC News
This preview shows approximately 15% of the article. Read the full story on the publisher's website to support quality journalism.