Kisumu Deputy Governor Mathew Owili has raised concerns over the government’s allocation of Ksh30 million for the construction of a mausoleum for the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, saying the amount is insufficient to honour his legacy in a meaningful way.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

In a statement released on Tuesdays, June 16, Owili instead called for the proposed Raila Odinga Mausoleum to be replaced with a world-class presidential centre and library that would preserve Kenya’s democratic history while serving as a hub for research.

“To truly immortalize a statesman whose legacy spans the fight for democracy, constitutional reform, and Pan-African integration, Kenya must shift its vision from a passive museum to an active Presidential Centre and Library,” he stated.

Owili argued that a leader of Raila Odinga’s stature requires a national institution comparable to global examples such as the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in the United States.

📌 What You Need to Know

His proposal envisions the facility being developed through a public-private partnership, with the Ksh30 million acting as seed capital rather than the full project cost.

“By leveraging public-private partnerships, international grants, and private donations, Kenya can erect a world-class Presidential Centre and Library, ensuring that the history of our democratic struggle is not just kept, but lived,” he said.

Further, the Deputy Governor explained that his proposed institution would be based on three pillars.

The first pillar would be the Presidential Library and Democratic Archives, which would feature documents, photographs and oral histories of the country’s fight for multiparty democracy, the 2010 Constitution and devolution.

According to Owili, the second pillar would be an Innovation and Leadership Centre, which would host public lectures and workshops for young African leaders.

The third pillar would be an interactive museum and tourism destination that would utilise digital media and virtual reality for exhibitions to attract tourists and make the centre financially self-sustaining.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke