Mombasa residents hold street processions to mourn Raila
Coast
By
Willis Oketch
| Oct 16, 2025
Mombasa residents yesterday held street processions and thronged Uhuru Garden along Moi Avenue where they lit candles in honour of the fallen former prime minister Raila Odinga.
The residents, led by Lamu ODM chairperson Aisha Nizar lit the candles after the procession from Treasury Square under heavy police escort.
The procession was composed of various groups of mourners, including religious leaders, youths, men, and women.
Several women wailed while carrying twigs, placards and Raila’s portrait as they gave different descriptions.
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Some mourners sang and danced as they braved the coastal heat to mourn the ODM party leader.
Addressing the media, Nizar equated Raila with a fallen baobab tree in the Coast region, which he dominated for two decades as his support base.
ODM leaders had chosen Mombasa as the main venue for the celebration of the party’s 20th anniversary next month.
“The baobab has fallen. We do not know who to turn to with our problems. During broad-based government we have benefitted a lot from Raila. He made Lamu get a principal secretary and a deputy chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Bursaries Commission,” said Nizar.
Drum beats from Israel Church members was used to weep the emotions of the mourners who danced to the tune as the procession snaked from Treasury Square, Nkruma Road to Fontanela roundabout.
During the procession, the tourists who were caught unaware took shots of dancing mourners to the drum beat.
Nizar appealed to Kenyans to give Raila the last respect by not sparking off chaos in any place the body will be placed for viewing.
“We want peace while mourning Raila. We do not want ugly incidents which will tarnish the name of Raila,” said Nizar.
A mourner, James Katana, said he was given some local names in the Coast region because of the love and respect he was accorded by the local communities.
“As the Luos called him Agwambo, the local Digo called him Gakweli, a man who says the truth,” said Katana.
He however faulted the state for failing to fly the body to Mombasa for public viewing by his ardent supporters.
“Raila was not a leader for Nairobi and Kisumu only. He was a national leader and the body should have been flown to Mombasa for viewing,” said Katana.