Homabay politician Johnson Oduka has commended President William Ruto for overseeing the construction and handover of the late former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga’s mausoleum at Kang’o Ka Jaramogi in Bondo.
Oduk has described the monument as an important investment in preserving Kenya’s history.
He said the completion of the mausoleum was a significant gesture of respect for Raila, whose decades-long public life was closely intertwined with some of the country’s most important political and democratic transformations.
President Ruto officially unveiled and dedicated the mausoleum on Wednesday, October 7, during a ceremony attended by Raila’s family, national leaders, political allies and other dignitaries.
The President described Raila as a courageous patriot and Pan-Africanist who played a central role in Kenya’s democratic journey.
Oduk said the significance of the facility should go beyond being the final resting place of the former Prime Minister.
He called on the Odinga family, the local community and relevant government institutions to safeguard the facility and ensure that it develops into a historic centre where Kenyans, students, researchers and visitors can learn about the country’s political evolution and the contribution of the Odinga family.
“The mausoleum should not only be seen as a resting place. It should become a place where generations come to learn about Kenya’s history, the struggles for independence, the second liberation and the democratic reforms that shaped the country,” Oduk said.
He noted that Raila inherited a powerful political and historical legacy from his father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Kenya’s first Vice-President, and went on to carve out his own place in the country’s history through his long struggle for democracy, constitutionalism, justice and political reform.
The mausoleum stands at Kang’o Ka Jaramogi, the Odinga family home in Bondo, where Raila is buried alongside his father.
The government has said the site is expected to serve as a heritage and educational centre for future generations.
Oduk further urged the family and the community to protect the site from political interference and commercial exploitation, arguing that Raila’s legacy belongs to the wider Kenyan public and should be preserved for posterity.
His remarks come at a time when debate over Raila’s legacy has intensified ahead of the first anniversary of his death on October 15, 2026.
The family and ODM have organised separate but related programmes to commemorate the former Prime Minister and reflect on his contribution to the country.
Raila Odinga Junior, speaking at the handover ceremony on behalf of the family, thanked President Ruto and the Government of Kenya for their role in completing the project.
He said the intention from the beginning was to create a place where future generations could remember Raila’s sacrifices, principles and contribution to Kenya and Africa.
Oduk said the facility therefore provides an opportunity for Kenya to preserve its political history in a manner that is accessible to future generations.
He urged schools and institutions of higher learning to consider incorporating visits to the mausoleum.
“The best way to honour Raila is not simply to remember his name, but to ensure that future generations understand what he stood for and the price that was paid for the freedoms Kenyans enjoy today,” Oduk said.
The mausoleum was constructed by the Kenya Defence Forces in collaboration with the National Museums of Kenya.
The facility is expected to open to the public from October 8, with the main national commemoration of Raila’s life scheduled for October 15 in Bondo.
