President William Ruto will on Wednesday commission the mausoleum of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga at Kang’o Ka Jaramogi in Bondo, Siaya County.
The ceremony will take place as Kenya marks a year since Mr Odinga’s death and during Mwezi wa Baba, a month dedicated to commemorating his life and political career.
Gender, Culture, the Arts and Heritage Cabinet Secretary Hannah Cheptumo said the mausoleum would serve as a centre for preserving and interpreting Odinga’s legacy.
“A mausoleum is not merely a structure. It is a repository of memory, history and identity,” Cheptumo said.
She said the site would give present and future generations an opportunity to learn about Odinga’s life and his role in Kenya’s history.
The mausoleum was built through the Kenya Defence Forces and is now expected to come under the stewardship of the National Museums of Kenya.
Cheptumo said the museums body would be responsible for conserving, documenting and interpreting the site.
She said Odinga’s legacy was linked to key periods in Kenya’s political history, including the country’s democratic and constitutional development.
His engagement with Pan-African ideals and decades in public life would also form part of the historical record, she said.
The commissioning is expected to bring together government officials, members of Odinga’s family, political allies, friends and members of the public.
Cheptumo praised President Ruto for overseeing the completion of the project.
Odinga died on 15 October 2025, aged 80, after decades in Kenyan public life.
He served as prime minister from 2008 to 2013 and was a prominent opposition leader for much of his political career.
The mausoleum is expected to become a permanent heritage site at Kang’o Ka Jaramogi, where Odinga’s life and contribution to Kenya will be preserved for future generations.
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