The Kenya Airways flight carrying the delegation dispatched to India to repatriate the body of the late former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga became the world’s most tracked aircraft on aviation platform Flightradar24 on Wednesday night.
Shortly after taking off from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) at 6:30 p.m., the Kenya Airways flight KQ202 en route to Mumbai began drawing global attention. Initially ranked second-most tracked, it soon rose to the top spot by midnight, with over 7,000 people worldwide monitoring its progress in real time.
The plane landed in Mumbai at around 1:00 a.m. (EAT) on Thursday and departed for Nairobi shortly after 3:30 a.m., with an expected arrival time of 9:30 a.m.
At 7:00 a.m., Flightradar24 data showed the return flight, KQ203, was being tracked by more than 5,000 users. Kenya Airways later announced that the flight would be renamed RAO001—a symbolic gesture using Odinga’s initials—once it entered Kenyan airspace “to honour and respect our departed leader.”
“KQ203 will change to RAO001 as soon as we reach Kenya airspace at around 8:50 a.m. to honour and respect our departed leader,” Kenya Airways stated in an official update.
Raila Odinga, aged 80, passed away in Kochi, India, after collapsing while undergoing treatment. His death has plunged Kenya into mourning, with President William Ruto declaring a seven-day national mourning period, during which flags will fly at half-mast nationwide.
The National Funeral Committee, co-chaired by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, confirmed that Odinga will be accorded a State Funeral with full honours.
According to the official schedule, President Ruto and Odinga’s family will receive the body at JKIA before escorting it to Lee Funeral Home. From noon to 5 p.m., it will lie in state at the Parliament Buildings for public viewing.
On Friday, a state funeral service will be held at Nyayo Stadium, followed by an overnight vigil at his Karen residence. The body will then be flown to Kisumu on Saturday for public viewing at Moi Stadium, before being taken by road to Bondo, where Odinga will be laid to rest on Sunday, October 19, in accordance with his wish to be buried within 72 hours of his passing.
