Uganda holds special memorial service for Raila Odinga
Exactly nine days after his burial in Kang’o Ka Jaramogi in Bondo, Siaya County, the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga will be honoured with a special memorial prayer service in Uganda, led by the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda.
Also Watch: Turkana leaders pay emotional tribute to Raila Odinga, vow loyalty to ODM legacy
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The prayer service will be held on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, at the All Saints Cathedral in Nakasero, Kampala.
The ODM party took to social media to express their gratitude to Captain Mike Mukula, National Chairman of the Pan-African Movement Uganda chapter, and JB John Baptist Ouma, an aspiring Ugandan politician, for organising the service.
“A special memorial prayer service in honour of our departed leader, Raila Odinga, will be held tomorrow at the All Saints Cathedral Church in Uganda,” the X post read on Monday, October 27, 2025.
“Special thanks to Captain Mike Mukulaa, Baba’s friend, and his team for this honour. We are grateful cc JB John Baptist Ouma.”
This latest development comes amid Raila’s long-standing ties to Uganda, which began when he sought refuge in the East African nation in the early 1990s to escape political persecution under the regime of the late former president, Daniel arap Moi.
Also Watch: Uhuru Kenyatta pays quiet tribute at Raila Odinga’s grave in Bondo
While evading the authorities, Raila fled Nairobi, travelled via Kisumu to Bondo, hid, and then crossed Lake Victoria into Uganda at night.
He is said to have disguised himself as a Catholic priest named Father Augustine from Machakos to avoid being recognised by officers.
From his rural home in Bondo, he was transported to Sirongo Beach, where he boarded a small boat and navigated Lake Victoria under moonlight.
After crossing into Uganda, he continued by bicycle and bus through hilly terrain to reach Kampala, with an alias of Joseph Ojiwa, where he registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). It is from there that the UN managed to arrange his political asylum in Norway.
Raila CBD statue
As the Church of Uganda honours the late ODM leader, plans to erect a statue of the late Raila Odinga in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) have officially been submitted to President William Ruto and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja for approval.
The initiative, led by the former Parklands Highridge Member of County Assembly (MCA) Jayendra Malde and the Indian community at large, seeks to honour Raila’s lifelong contribution to democracy, unity, and good governance in Kenya.
On Monday, October 27, 2025, a formal letter requesting approval was delivered to both the President and the Governor, outlining the proposal and requesting guidance on the next steps.
“Today, October 27, 2025, as promised, we have submitted the letters of approval to President William Ruto and the Governor of Nairobi, Sakaja Johnson,” Malde wrote.
“We will wait for their approval, and once approved, we will move with speed to get it done.”
