Thousands of UDPS supporters took to streets of Kinshasa to receive the body of Etienne Tshisekedi, a former Prime Minister and opposition figure in DR Congo on Thursday, reports the BBC.
Tshisekedi died in February 2017 and his body had to be kept in Belgium until his son Felix Tshisekedi took over as President of DR Congo.
On Thursday, nostalgic supporters thronged into the streets, with posters of a man who was described as man of the people by many.
Some supporters waited at the airport with placards bearing the slogan "Le peuple d'abord," French for "people first", when his body arrived on Thursday, reports the BBC's Gaius Kowene from the capital, Kinshasa.
So similar is his political journey with Kenya opposition leader Raila Odinga, that even when he was alive, the two were close friends and often met to discuss politics.
Like Mr Odinga, Etienne served as minister during Mobutu Sese Seko's government before he was appointed Prime Minister just like Raila in Kenya.
When Laurent Kabila took over, Tshisekedi became a leading opposition figure in DR Congo, a role he extended even during the era of Joseph Kabila, Laurent's son.
Incidentally, he boycotted 2006 polls citing massive irregularities. Mr Odinga boycotted presidential repeat polls in 2017 against Uhuru Kenyatta over similar claims.
Even more fascinating, Tshisekedi swore himself as President of DR Congo in 2011 after Kabila was declared President-elect. In Kenya, Mr Odinga took presidential oath in 2018 after disputing Uhuru's victory.
After his son Felix was elected President in December 2018, Mr Odinga and Uhuru were the only African leaders who attended. Since then, Raila has met Felix four times both in Nairobi and Kinshasa. The latest was a fortnight ago.
Tshisekedi's remains were taken to presidential palace awaiting official burial dates. He will be accorded a state burial.