‘Asante sana’ – Raila Junior thanks Ruto for helping build Baba’s mausoleum in Bondo
By Ascah Mwango, September 16, 2026Raila Odinga Junior has thanked President William Ruto for supporting the construction of his late father Raila Odinga’s mausoleum in Bondo, Siaya County.
In a statement shared on his X account on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, Raila Junior welcomed the President to the family’s home in Bondo while appreciating his role in the ongoing construction.
“Your Excellency @WilliamsRuto Asante sana kwa Kutusaidia Kujenga Hiyo Mausoleum ya Baba, Karibu sana,” he said.
The message comes as work on the memorial site at Kang’o ka Jaramogi gathers pace ahead of the first anniversary of Raila’s death.
Raila, who died on October 15, 2025, aged 80, was buried four days later at his family home in Bondo. He was laid to rest beside his mother, Mary Ajuma Odinga, at Kang’o ka Jaramogi.
Ruto sets October deadline
President Ruto has directed that the mausoleum be completed by October 14, 2026, one day before the first anniversary of Raila’s death.
Speaking during a media engagement in Kisumu on September 14, Ruto said the government was working with the Odinga family on preparations for the anniversary and wanted the memorial completed in time for the occasion.
The construction is being overseen by the Ministry of Defence, with the Kenya Defence Forces involved in the implementation. The project followed the handover of the site by the Odinga family to the government in July.
The mausoleum is being built next to the existing Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Mausoleum, where Raila’s father and Kenya’s first Vice-President is buried.
The wider project is also expected to improve the existing Jaramogi memorial, with plans to develop the site into a heritage and remembrance centre. The National Museums of Kenya is involved in the heritage component of the project.
Mausoleum takes shape in Bondo
Construction had reached about 50 per cent by August 20, according to Defence Principal Secretary Patrick Mariru, who inspected the site.
The project was initially expected to be completed by the end of September, although Ruto later moved the handover deadline to October 14.
The memorial is intended to go beyond being a resting place. Plans include exhibition and archival spaces documenting Raila’s political journey and contribution to Kenya’s history, as well as visitor facilities and landscaped areas.
The project has attracted attention because of the significance of the location and Raila’s long political career. Kang’o ka Jaramogi has for decades been associated with the Odinga family and remains an important historical site in Kenya’s political history.
The development comes as Raila’s family prepares for his first death anniversary. The family has formed a committee chaired by Professor Adams Oloo to coordinate commemorative activities around October 15.
Raila Junior’s message to Ruto comes at a significant point in the project, with the October deadline approaching and construction teams working to complete the memorial ahead of the anniversary.
For the Odinga family, the mausoleum will provide a permanent memorial for Raila, while for visitors, it is expected to preserve aspects of his political journey and his place in Kenya’s history.