Bondo, Kenya — October 18, 2025

For Captain Saviamaria Ondego, the flight from Mumbai to Nairobi was unlike any she had flown before. On board was the body of Raila Amolo Odinga, Kenya’s former Prime Minister and one of its most enduring political figures.

“It was a surreal experience,” she recalled in a video shared by The media. “Every day is not a normal day in our job, and just like any flight, we woke up just to fly our roster. But there was a heaviness and the responsibility to our country that made it not a normal flight.”

Odinga, who died in Mumbai at the age of 80 after suffering cardiac arrest, was flown home aboard a Kenya Airways flight led by Saviamaria and her crew. For many, the moment marked the beginning of Kenya’s final farewell to a man who defined its political journey for over four decades.

The captain described the weight of the moment when she had to announce to passengers that Raila’s body was on board. “I went to speak and nothing came out,” she said softly. “I had to step away from the microphone, take a deep breath, and try again. My voice was a little shaky, but it was important to me — and somehow, the words flowed.”

Alongside her was Jason Mose, Kenya Airways’ Inflight Performance Manager, who travelled to India to oversee the delicate process of bringing Odinga’s body home. He admitted that the task was both “emotional and overwhelming.”

“I knew that I had to go because I was representing Kenya Airways and the country,” Mose said. “It was an honour to be mandated by the company to ensure all protocols were observed and Raila Odinga was brought safely home.”

Their words captured the nation’s collective grief — and pride. For Kenya Airways staff, it was not just a flight, but a moment of service to history.

Odinga’s body arrived in Nairobi on Thursday morning before being flown to Kisumu and later to his family home in Bondo, Siaya County. His funeral is scheduled for Sunday, October 19, at the Odinga homestead in Kang’o ka Jaramogi.

According to his brother, Dr Oburu Oginga, the burial will be a private family affair. However, President William Ruto has confirmed that Odinga will receive a state funeral with full military honours. Seven days of national mourning were also declared, with the Kenyan flag flown at half-mast.

As Kenya prepares to lay its political giant to rest, Captain Saviamaria and her team’s quiet courage remains a poignant reminder of how deeply Raila Odinga’s life — and death — has touched the nation.