President William Ruto has formally handed over the Raila Odinga Mausoleum in Bondo, Siaya County, turning the former Prime Minister’s final resting place into a national site of remembrance as Kenya begins a wider programme to preserve his political and democratic legacy.
Ruto dedicated the mausoleum at Kang’o Ka Jaramogi on Wednesday during a restricted ceremony attended by invited guests and dignitaries, ahead of activities marking the first anniversary of Odinga’s death on October 15, 2025.
The mausoleum is the final resting place of Raila Odinga and his father, Kenya’s first Vice President Jaramogi Oginga Odinga. The site is now being incorporated into Kenya’s national heritage.
The project was about 98 per cent complete before the handover. The Ministry of Defence took over the construction work in July, with military engineers working alongside technical teams from the National Museums of Kenya.
Ruto paid tribute to Odinga, describing him as a patriot, Pan-Africanist and statesman whose life was closely linked to Kenya’s push for greater democratic freedoms.
“In Raila Odinga, Kenya lost a leader extraordinaire, a man of uncommon courage, a patriot, a Pan-Africanist, and a statesman who gave his life to the pursuit of freedom, justice, and a Kenya with plenty within its borders.”
The President said Odinga’s contribution to the country went beyond his participation in electoral politics, pointing to the years he spent fighting for political change, including periods of detention and personal sacrifice.
“For decades, he walked at the center of Kenya's long journey towards expanding her democratic space. Through years of darkness, detention, sacrifice, and adversity, he did not yield. He became a light of those who sought a freer nation, illuminating a path towards a more just, democratic, and prosperous Kenya.”
The handover comes as the government and the Odinga family prepare a series of events and projects to mark the anniversary and keep the former Prime Minister’s contribution to the country in the public memory.
Members of the public will be allowed to visit the mausoleum from Thursday, October 8, after the October 7 dedication ceremony was limited to invited guests because of space and security considerations.
Live broadcasts and public viewing screens have been arranged in Bondo and at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology to allow members of the public to follow the proceedings.
A candlelight vigil led by the family will take place at Kang’o Ka Jaramogi at 6 pm on October 14, a day before the main memorial service.
The public memorial service will be held at Migwena Cultural and Sports Ground in Bondo on October 15 and will be open to members of the public.
Beyond the mausoleum, the government and the Odinga family are also working on other projects aimed at preserving Odinga’s contribution to Kenya’s political and democratic history.
Among the planned initiatives is a Democracy Institute to be established in his name at the University of Nairobi, as well as additional programmes at the Kenya School of Government.
Ruto said the mausoleum should remain a place where future generations can remember the values and causes that defined Odinga’s public life.
“May his memorial endure as a solemn testament to his life and service, and to the ideals of democracy, equitable development, true revolution, and national unity, for which he gave his all.”
He also called on future generations to protect the democratic gains associated with Odinga’s long political struggle.
“May generations yet to be born remember his sacrifice, follow the light of his example, and guard the democratic inheritance he helped secure. When the road ahead grows uncertain, may his courage light up the way.”
The handover marks a new chapter for Kang’o Ka Jaramogi, with the site moving beyond its role as a family burial place to become a place of national remembrance.
The National Museums of Kenya is involved in efforts to preserve the complex and ensure its place within the country’s national heritage.