Week-long national commemoration to mark first anniversary of Raila's death

By  Kevin Cheruiyot

Correspondent

What you need to know:

• Mama Ida Odinga said the commemoration would belong to all Kenyans who identify with Raila’s legacy of justice and peace.
• The week-long programme is also expected to include the handover by the national government of a Sh30 million mausoleum.

The late Prime Minister Raila Odinga will be remembered in a week-long national commemoration marking the first anniversary of his death, with events planned across the country and beyond.

The celebrations which will run from October 10 to 17 will culminate at Raila’s ancestral home, Kang’o ka Jaramogi in Bondo, Siaya County, his family announced on Thursday.

Kenya’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Mama Ida Odinga, who is the widow of the former Prime Minister, announced the national steering committee that will oversee the commemoration.

The committee chaired by Prof Adams Oloo will receive proposals from Kenyans and institutions on activities to be held during the week, in keeping with the family’s position that the commemoration should reflect Raila’s place in the lives of ordinary citizens.

“The true essence of Raila Odinga belonged to the entire nation. His life was defined by tireless commitment to bring people together, transcending political regions and ideological divides in pursuit of a unified democratic Kenya,” Ambassador Ida said.

She said the commemoration would belong to all Kenyans who identify with Raila’s legacy of justice and peace, including those who held political views different from his.

The first anniversary comes as political leaders and parties continue to grapple with the legacy of Raila, who was one of Kenya’s most influential opposition figures and a central player in the country’s politics for decades.

The family also expressed appreciation for the academic and diplomatic honours being extended to the memory of the former Prime Minister by institutions in Kenya and abroad.

The Kenya School of Government has established the Raila Odinga Regional Leadership Academy, a centre of excellence intended to promote good governance, public-sector leadership and public administration studies.

Mama  Ida said Daystar University had also begun preparations for a symposium in Raila’s memory, while the University of Nairobi was establishing the Centre for Raila Odinga Democracy.

“The centre is set to be officially launched during the week of the celebration,” she said.

Prof Oloo said the committee would receive proposals from across Africa and the rest of the world on how people and institutions would want to commemorate Raila, provided the activities met the committee’s criteria.

“There are three activities from academic institutions that we are sure of. Daystar University shall have a symposium meant to immortalise Baba, in which both scholars and policy makers shall participate,” Prof Oloo said.

He reiterated that the celebrations would be people-centred, with the committee taking into account views and proposals from the public.

The week-long programme is also expected to include the handover by the national government of a Sh30 million mausoleum being constructed for the former Prime Minister.

Ambassador Ida was accompanied by family members, including Rosemary Odinga and Raila Odinga Junior. Raila died on October 15, 2025, while undergoing treatment in India.

Follow our WhatsApp channel for breaking news updates and more stories like this.