The construction of the Raila Odinga Mausoleum has moved a step closer after the late former Prime Minister’s family handed over the project site to the government at Kang’o ka Jaramogi in Bondo, Siaya County.

The handover ceremony held on Monday, July 20, 2026, marked the transition of the project from the planning and design stage to implementation, with the National Museums of Kenya (NMK) overseeing the development of the memorial site.

The mausoleum will be built next to the existing Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Mausoleum, where Kenya’s first Vice-President and Raila’s father was buried in 1994. The project will also include the renovation of the existing Jaramogi facility, which serves as both a mausoleum and a museum preserving Kenya’s political and cultural history.

Raila Odinga died on October 15, 2025, aged 80, while receiving medical treatment in Kochi, India. He was buried on October 19, 2025, at Kang’o ka Jaramogi, according to his wishes, beside his mother, Mary Ajuma Odinga.

How the mausoleum project started

Speaking during the handover ceremony, PS Ummi Bashir explained that the project was initially not meant to be a new mausoleum for Raila Odinga.

She said discussions began in 2024 when she met Raila during a flight from Germany after a cultural event attended alongside President William Ruto.

According to Bashir, Raila expressed interest in improving the existing Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Mausoleum and promised to connect her with the technical team.

“Back in 2024, I met Baba for the first time on our way back from Germany on a cultural event that was happening there with His Excellency the President. We met on the plane, and I introduced myself, and he was immediately very impressed,” Bashir said.

She added that Raila later sent an architect and an engineer with initial designs focusing on the rehabilitation and renovation of Jaramogi’s mausoleum.

“Initially, it was the revamping, renovation and rehabilitation of the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga mausoleum. That is what we were doing initially, planning for that and reporting back,” she said.

However, after Raila’s death, the project changed direction to include a separate mausoleum dedicated to the former Prime Minister.

Bashir said President William Ruto directed that the project be completed within the required timeline.

She explained that the Head of Public Service had directed the Ministry of Defence, the Principal Secretary for Defence and the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to support the project because of the tight schedule.

“The project here would take us very many months or even years to complete. And I’m glad that the Head of Public Service has expressly directed that CS Defence, PS Defence, and KDF take over this project because of the time limit that we have,” Bashir said.

She expressed confidence that the project would be completed on schedule, saying KDF had experience delivering major projects within short timelines.

Bashir said the target was for KDF to hand over the completed project by September 30, ahead of the October 15 anniversary of Raila’s death.

“I am very confident that this project will be done and handed over by the deadline that we have been given,” she said.

Design of Raila Odinga Mausoleum

The design of the proposed Raila Odinga Mausoleum centres around a circular structure that will serve as the main feature of the memorial.

The concept was reviewed in June 2026 during a meeting involving Raila Odinga Junior, officials from the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage, National Museums of Kenya architects and engineers from the Ministry of Works.

The circular structure will act as the centre of the memorial precinct, with pathways and roads designed to flow around it.

The plans include landscaped areas, green spaces, pedestrian walkways and areas intended to provide visitors with a place for reflection and remembrance.

The design uses curved access routes that lead visitors towards the central memorial space before directing them through different sections of the grounds.

The wider site is expected to include facilities that will preserve Raila’s political history and contribution to Kenya’s democratic development.

These include plans for research facilities, digital archives, a library and an amphitheatre where future generations can learn about his public life.

Kang’o ka Jaramogi’s historical importance

Kang’o ka Jaramogi has been central to Kenya’s political history for decades.

The Bondo homestead is the final resting place of several members of the Odinga family, including Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Mary Ajuma Odinga, Raila’s son Fidel Castro Odinga and other relatives.

The existing Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Mausoleum was opened on January 20, 1995, by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The facility preserves photographs, personal belongings, political documents and cultural artefacts linked to Jaramogi’s life and Kenya’s independence struggle.

Visitors can also view traditional Luo artefacts, portraits of African leaders and historical records documenting Kenya’s political journey.

The development of Raila’s mausoleum will expand the importance of Kang’o ka Jaramogi as a heritage site.

Raila Junior takes responsibility

The handover comes as Raila’s family continues adjusting to his absence, with his children taking greater roles in preserving his legacy and public affairs.

Raila Odinga Junior, who has taken responsibility as head of the family, met his uncle Dr Oburu Oginga ahead of the ceremony. He said their discussions focused on family matters and preparations for the mausoleum project.

“We talked about family matters and tomorrow’s event where we will hand over the site to the government for the construction of Baba’s mausoleum,” Raila Junior said.

He added that he continues to seek guidance from Dr Oburu on family and political matters.

“I continue to consult him on family issues because he is our elder and father figure. I also seek his advice on politics,” he said.

Raila Junior has also been involved in preserving his father’s legacy, including restoring the iconic Hummer vehicle associated with Raila’s 2007 presidential campaign. He said he intends to eventually take the vehicle to the family museum at Kang’o ka Jaramogi, although he wants Kenyans to first interact with it.

“A story of restoration, my initial idea was to take it to the museum, though I’d like Kenyans to interact with it before I do,” he said.

Tender process completed

The National Museums of Kenya had earlier invited bids for the construction of the Raila Odinga Mausoleum and renovation of the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Mausoleum.

The project was advertised under Tender No. NMK/T/03/RAO/MAUS/2025-2026.

Interested contractors submitted bids after a pre-bid conference held at Kang’o ka Jaramogi in June 2026.

The handover now allows the next stage of implementation to proceed, with the government aiming to complete the project within the set timeline.

When completed, the Raila Odinga Mausoleum will stand beside the resting place of his father, creating a memorial space that combines family history, political heritage and national remembrance.