Parliament Turns Sombre: Speaker Wetang’ula Orders MPs to Wear Black for Raila Odinga Tribute

NAIROBI — Kenya’s Parliament will turn sombre on Thursday as lawmakers gather for a special sitting to mourn the late opposition leader, Raila Odinga.

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula on Wednesday directed all Members of Parliament to wear dark, modest clothing as a sign of respect. The special session will run from 10 a.m. until midnight, giving MPs an opportunity to honour Odinga’s decades-long contribution to Kenyan politics.

“I advise that tomorrow, for many if not all of you, it will be the only opportunity to eulogise the Prime Minister,” Wetang’ula said from the Speaker’s chair. “It is advised that we come in a sombre state, in sombre attire — meaning I advise that we dress in black.”

He further urged female MPs to provide black ribbons for their colleagues, symbolising unity and national mourning.

A House in Mourning

The directive came shortly after Parliament observed a minute of silence in Odinga’s memory. His death on October 15 in India, following a cardiac arrest, has plunged the nation into collective grief.

Thursday’s sitting, Wetang’ula said, will be dedicated solely to eulogies. “Tomorrow, we shall all have time to mourn our fallen heroic leader,” he told the House. “We will demonstrate our respect and appreciation for him.”

Although the session was adjourned before all MPs could speak, Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah and Minority Whip Junet Mohammed were allowed brief remarks before leaving for India as part of the government delegation handling the repatriation of Odinga’s remains.

Emotional Tributes Across the Aisle

Ichung’wah, visibly moved, paid tribute to Odinga as “a great Pan-Africanist and father of our nation.”

“We will all remember our Prime Minister as a great Pan-Africanist, the foremost son of Africa and of our great nation,” he said. “He was a father to many of us — and he always called me ‘my son’ whenever we spoke.”

Ichung’wah recalled his final conversation with Odinga, who had called to offer condolences after his father’s death. “He was upbeat, but did indicate that he was a little under the weather,” Ichung’wah said softly. “We didn’t expect this.”

Junet Mohammed, a long-time ally of the late ODM leader, struggled to hold back tears. “I am still coming to terms with what happened,” he said. “Some of us had a very deep relationship with our leader. We knew death would come one day, but we didn’t expect it so soon.”

He requested permission to deliver his full tribute during Thursday’s sitting.

A Nation Pauses

The Parliament’s gesture follows President William Ruto’s declaration of a seven-day national mourning period in honour of the former Prime Minister. Flags are flying at half-mast across the country and at Kenyan embassies abroad.

As the House prepares for an all-day session of remembrance, there is a shared understanding — across party lines — that Raila Odinga’s influence stretched far beyond politics. For many MPs, tomorrow’s black attire will signify not just grief, but gratitude for a man who shaped the nation’s democratic path for more than four decades.