President William Ruto today presided over the official unveiling of the Raila Odinga Mausoleum at Kang’o ka Jaramogi, the Odinga family home in Bondo, Siaya County.

The memorial was built next to the existing Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Mausoleum, where Raila’s father, Kenya’s first Vice-President, is buried. Raila was laid to rest beside his father on October 19, 2025.

Construction was formally launched at a ceremony on July 20, 2026, where the government presented a pentagonal design inspired by Luo traditions and Raila’s political legacy.

The Kenya Defence Forces handled the build, with Defence CS Soipan Tuya breaking ground to mark the start of construction.

Officials initially set a two-month timeline, with completion targeted for September 30.

On September 14, Ruto directed that the mausoleum be completed by October 14, one day before the first anniversary of Raila’s death. Raila Odinga Junior later publicly thanked the President for supporting the project and was seen inspecting works on site in late September.

The complex includes a main memorial hall, archival galleries and exhibition spaces, a landscaped reflection courtyard, visitor amenities and modern security installations.

There are also research spaces, digital archives, a library and an amphitheatre.

The National Museums of Kenya is involved in the heritage component, and the Jaramogi mausoleum is to be improved as part of the wider project.

Raila died on October 15, 2025, aged 80, while receiving medical treatment in Kochi, India.

He served as Prime Minister from 2008 to 2013 and was a central figure in Kenya’s multiparty democracy and constitutional reform.

The unveiling comes ahead of commemorations marking one year since his death on October 15.

The mausoleum is also expected to draw students, researchers and visitors, with potential benefits for cultural tourism in Siaya County.