State-backed Raila Odinga Mausoleum enters construction phase after site handover

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The groundbreaking ceremony, attended by Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya, marked the transition of the project from planning to construction, nearly nine months after the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Odinga, the long-serving Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader, died of cardiac arrest on October 15, 2025, while receiving specialised treatment in India. He was 80.

In June 2026, the National Museums of Kenya (NMK) formally initiated procurement for the mausoleum, setting aside Sh30 million under Tender No. NMK/T/03/RAO/MAUS/2025-2026 to develop the site into a national heritage monument.

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During Monday’s ceremony, family patriarch Oburu Oginga officially handed over the ancestral site to the KDF in the presence of Raila Odinga Junior, who was recently installed as the cultural head of the Odinga family.

Addressing the gathering, Tuya directed the military engineers to complete the project within two months while assuring the family that the accelerated timeline would not compromise quality.

“I want to give my absolute assurance to the Odinga and Jaramogi families that the quality of this construction will not be compromised despite the fast-tracked timeline. The KDF is fully focused and will deliver on this mandate within the next two months,” she said.

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Tuya also used the occasion to call for national cohesion, warning against divisive politics and ethnic incitement while commending ODM’s role in supporting the broad-based government.

“The government will not tolerate individuals spewing hate or stoking negative ethnicity across the country. We commend the ODM party for its selflessness and support for national unity, which will guide Kenya toward becoming a more united and stronger nation,” she said.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya

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