Kenyan Motorists stopped, passengers ordered to salute Raila’s portrait
By:NTV Kenya
Across Kenya today, roads have turned into open-air theaters of grief and devotion. From Kisumu to Nairobi, ordinary Kenyans are bringing traffic to a standstill, not because of potholes or breakdowns, but because of pure, unfiltered reverence.
Motorists are being flagged down by crowds clutching Raila Odinga’s portraits like sacred relics, demanding a moment of silence, a sharp salute, or a booming chant of “Baba! Baba!” before granting passage.
In some towns, matatu passengers are being politely but firmly asked to alight and join impromptu prayers or mini-processions. Others report encountering enterprising roadside groups styling themselves as “funeral marshals,” apparently managing tribute traffic for a small “administrative” fee.
Videos flooding social media show boda boda riders staging full-blown highway blockades, waving flags and tree leaves, and honking like it’s a championship celebration. Others kneel right on the tarmac, tears flowing freely, as chants echo through the air.
What’s unfolding isn’t just mourning. It’s a rare, beautifully chaotic outpouring of emotion that only Raila Odinga could inspire. His supporters are treating this pre-funeral period like a national pilgrimage. Each town, each highway, a makeshift shrine to the man they christened Baba wa Taifa.