Kenya's former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Several activities have been organised to honour the former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, who died in India last week and was buried on Sunday in Bondo, Siaya County.
The national funeral committee, which was tasked with overseeing the state burial of Mr Odinga, is considering various activities to honour the veteran opposition leader. It plans to hold its final meeting at the end of the seven-day mourning period.
According to reliable sources, there will be a national concert at Uhuru Park on October 31 to honour Mr Odinga.
The concert, themed 'Raila Legacy Commemoration Festival: A Legacy That Lives On', is scheduled to start at 10am and continue until dawn. It will bring together leaders, artists, and citizens from all walks of life to celebrate the values that Mr Odinga stood for: unity, peace, democracy, and freedom.
“Through music, art, cultural performance and reflections, we remember a man who gave his life to the service of his people and the progress of our nation,” reads the flier of the concert.
“Join us as we come together to celebrate his legacy, reflect on his contributions and renew the spirit of hope he left within every Kenyan. Let this be not a day of mourning but a day of gratitude, a time to honour a hero who shaped our destiny.”
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki (centre) and other members of the national funeral committee overseeing the burial arrangements of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga at the DP's official residence in Karen, Nairobi, on October 15, 2025.
According to our source on the committee, there are also plans to erect a monument in honour of Odinga in Nairobi. The location has not yet been decided upon as the committee is still considering a number of sites within the city in consultation with Nairobi County.
Another project in honour of the former ODM leader is a national facility to be named after Mr Odinga in Nairobi.
“Mr Odinga was a nationalist and therefore the committee is considering having a national facility named after him. Something that will remain forever and will remind Kenyans of the sacrifices he made to the country,” said the source.
During the funeral service for the former Prime Minister in Bondo on Sunday, Gladys Wanga, the Homa Bay Governor and ODM Chairperson, urged President William Ruto to honour Odinga’s love of sport by naming the unfinished Talanta Stadium after him.
“Our president, we only ask one more thing from you, that the magnificent 60,000-seater stadium…we ask that it be renamed Raila Odinga Talanta Stadium,” she said.
Ms Wanga also urged the president to arrange a friendly match between Arsenal and the national team, Harambee Stars, at the venue upon its completion next year.
“Since you are an Arsenal fan, just like Baba was…once the stadium is complete next year, we ask you to invite Arsenal to come play a friendly against Harambee Stars as part of the Raila Odinga Memorial Cup,” she added.
The stadium is set for completion at the end of the year, in readiness for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), which Kenya is to co-host with Uganda and Tanzania.
Former Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has also written to the Ministry of Education proposing that the Technical University of Kenya (TUK) be named in honour of the former Prime Minister.
Former Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria.
“I have today written to Education CS Julius Ogamba requesting to rename the Technical University of Kenya into Raila Odinga Technical University. If I were CS, I would do it straight away,” he said.
According to Mr Kuria, this would honour Mr Odinga’s significant contributions to technical and engineering education.
As at now, the source said the committee, which is co-chaired by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga, Raila’s elder brother, has suspended all its meetings until the end of the mourning period and also to give the family a quiet time to mourn him.
In honour of Mr Odinga, both President Ruto and DP Kindiki have suspended their political engagements until the end of the mourning period.
President Ruto had lined up a number political activities in Ukambani region last week and this week before Raila’s death, while Prof Kindiki had also lined up a number empowerment programmes across a number of constituencies.
“The President and the Deputy are only engaged in development meetings, no politics for now because it will be insensitive not only to the country but also the family,” said the source.
The president declared seven days of national mourning as he described Odinga as “the father of our democracy” and a “once-in-a-generation leader” whose ideals transcended politics. He cited the milestones achieved by the long-serving politician.
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