Ruto commissions Raila Odinga mausoleum in Bondo

President William Ruto and Mama Ida Odinga look at a portrait of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga during the commissioning of his mausoleum at Kang’o ka Jaramogi in Bondo, Siaya County, on Wednesday, October 7, 2026. [PCS]

President William Ruto has commissioned and dedicated the Raila Amolo Odinga Mausoleum at Kang’o ka Jaramogi in Bondo, Siaya County, eight days before the first anniversary of the former prime minister’s death.

The ceremony on Wednesday, October 7, brought together Mama Ida Odinga, members of the Odinga family, church leaders and other guests.

Ruto used the occasion to pay tribute to Odinga’s contribution to Kenya’s democratic journey, describing him as a patriot, Pan-Africanist and statesman.

“On the 15th day of October 2025, Kenya and Africa mourned the passing on of one of their most distinguished and illustrious sons,” Ruto said in a presidential citation.

He recalled Odinga’s years of political struggle, including detention and adversity, saying he remained committed to expanding Kenya’s democratic space.

“Through years of darkness, detention, sacrifice and adversity, he did not yield,” Ruto noted.

Ruto described Odinga as a leader whose influence extended beyond electoral politics and became part of Kenya’s national history.

“Raila Amolo Odinga was a once-in-a-generation leader whose vision transcended politics and whose life became woven into the fabric of our Republic,” the President observed.

The citation also recognised Odinga’s family life, including his marriage to Mama Ida, his children and extended family.

Ruto said the mausoleum would stand as a reminder of Odinga’s service and the principles he championed.

“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 said.

Ruto formally dedicated the mausoleum under the Republic’s seal during the ceremony.

“For his service and sacrifice, and for the light he gave to this nation, the Right Honourable Raila Amolo Odinga, the second Prime Minister of the Republic of Kenya, passes from the living memory of a generation into another enduring memory of the Republic,” he declared.

The ceremony ended with the planting of a commemorative tree at the site.

Odinga died on October 15, 2025, while receiving medical treatment in India.