ODM party leader Oburu Oginga has criticised the proposed design of the Raila Amolo Odinga Mausoleum, saying it does not reflect the level of modernity he had expected.
Speaking at the project’s handover ceremony on Monday, he urged the design team to draw inspiration from the John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in the United States.
Dr. Oburu said the memorial should be more than a burial site, describing it as an opportunity to preserve and present Raila Odinga’s political career and contribution to Kenya’s history through modern technology.
He said he had envisioned a facility similar to the Kennedy museum in Boston, where visitors can access archived speeches and historical material through interactive digital displays.
“I don’t see the modernity that I was expecting from it,” he said after a presentation of the proposed design.
Dr Oburu said he had initially preferred a simpler structure but changed his mind after being advised that contemporary memorials increasingly incorporate technology to create interactive visitor experiences.
He said the mausoleum should enable visitors to explore Raila Odinga’s life and legacy through audio-visual exhibits, including recordings of his speeches on politics, history, culture and national development.
Lead architect Samson Malaki said the design presented at the ceremony represented only the first phase of a wider memorial project.
He said the mausoleum was intended primarily as a place where visitors could pay their respects and that Raila Odinga’s legacy could not be fully captured within its limited space.
Malaki said the second phase would include a Raila Odinga Centre featuring a museum with digital exhibitions, interactive displays and historical archives documenting the veteran opposition leader’s life and public service.
He said the museum would incorporate many of the features proposed by Oburu, including digital installations designed to preserve Raila Odinga’s contribution to Kenya and Africa.
Malaki added that the mausoleum’s interior would also include modern finishes and sustainable construction materials, with detailed interior designs to be produced once construction begins.
He said time constraints had prevented the team from presenting interior visualisations during the handover ceremony.
Project engineers said the mausoleum would be completed within the planned timetable through collaboration with the Ministry of Defence.
They said specialised concrete additives would be used to speed up strength development, allowing construction to progress more quickly without affecting quality.
The mausoleum is the first phase of a broader memorial project dedicated to preserving Raila Odinga’s legacy, with the proposed museum expected to form the centrepiece of the second phase.
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