Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya has said work on a mausoleum honouring the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga will be completed within two months without compromising quality.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga family home in Bondo, Siaya County on Monday, Tuya said the Ministry of Defence would oversee the project, drawing on the expertise of the Kenya Defence Forces.
“The Ministry of Defence is undertaking project management for this mausoleum, leveraging on the proven capacity and discipline of the Kenya Defence Forces,” she said.
Her remarks followed concerns raised by ODM leader Oburu Oginga over the tight construction schedule.
“We are nearing October when our brother passed on. Therefore, we are doing this more or less like an emergency. We want to complete it within two months. But I hope that hurry will not compromise quality,” he said.
Tuya said the project would be delivered to the required standard despite the accelerated timeline.
She described the mausoleum as a national monument intended to preserve Raila Odinga’s political legacy and contribution to Kenya’s democratic development.
The project is being managed by the Ministry of Defence in partnership with the State Department for Culture and the Arts and other government agencies.
Plans for the site include a memorial hall, archival galleries, exhibition spaces, a landscaped reflection courtyard, visitor facilities and security installations.
Existing infrastructure will also be upgraded.The mausoleum will also house a public learning and archival centre focusing on Kenya’s democratic history.
Tuya said the government would ensure the site had reliable water, electricity and telecommunications services.
She said the facility would complement the existing Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Mausoleum and Museum and help establish Kang’oka Jaramogi as a centre for learning about Kenya’s independence and democratic history.
She added that it was expected to boost cultural tourism and economic activity in the region.
Dr Oburu welcomed the government’s support, saying the Odinga family would have struggled to build such a facility on its own.
He said the mausoleum should reflect Raila Odinga’s national stature.
Tuya also conveyed an apology from Ida Odinga, who was unable to attend the ceremony but said she remained supportive of the project.
Co-operative Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya described the ceremony as an occasion of remembrance for the Odinga family and the country.
He said the mausoleum should become a national place of memory rather than a partisan symbol, preserving Raila Odinga’s legacy while educating future generations about Kenya’s constitutional and democratic journey.
The ceremony was attended by senior government officials, ODM leaders, members of the Odinga family and other guests.
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