The family of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has announced plans to commemorate the first anniversary of his death, with a series of activities expected to culminate in a memorial service on October 15, 2026.
The family said it had formed a committee chaired by political scientist Prof Adams Oloo to coordinate the commemorations and ensure that the first anniversary is marked in an inclusive manner.
The announcement comes as the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) separately prepares a month-long programme to honour its former leader, raising questions over how the family and the party will coordinate the events.
Raila died on October 15, 2025, while receiving medical treatment in Kerala, India. He was 80.
According to reports made at the time, Raila collapsed during a morning walk at the Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic Eye Hospital and Research Centre, where he had been undergoing treatment. He was rushed to Devamatha Hospital in Koothattukulam, where doctors pronounced him dead after a cardiac arrest.
His death immediately triggered an outpouring of grief across Kenya and the region, but it was also followed by controversy and speculation over what had happened in his final hours.
Social media was awash with unverified claims about the circumstances of his death, forcing fact-checkers to debunk false claims and misleading material circulating online. The speculation added to an already emotional national debate over the death of one of Kenya's most influential political figures.
The government, however, announced that Raila had died after suffering cardiac arrest while in India. President William Ruto declared seven days of national mourning and ordered that Raila be accorded a State funeral.
His body was flown back to Kenya on October 16 aboard a Kenya Airways flight given the special call sign RAO001 in his honour. Thousands of mourners turned up at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to receive the body, with the huge crowds briefly disrupting airport operations.
The public viewing that followed also descended into chaos as large crowds gathered at Parliament Buildings. The ceremony was subsequently moved to the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, to accommodate the numbers.
The funeral period was marred by deaths and injuries after clashes and crowd-control operations. Reuters and other international media reported deaths and injuries during the public viewing and funeral events, further adding to the controversy surrounding the manner in which the country handled the mourning period.
Raila was eventually buried on October 19, 2025, at his home in Bondo, Siaya County, next to the grave of his father, the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga. His burial brought to an end a week of national mourning that had seen Kenyans from across the political divide pay tribute to the former Prime Minister.
A year later, his family is preparing to mark the anniversary against the backdrop of continued public interest in his legacy and the political movement he built.
The family said the commemorations will focus on celebrating Raila's life, values and contribution to Kenya rather than turning the anniversary into a political contest.
The family has asked individuals and groups planning activities around the anniversary to coordinate with the committee headed by Prof Oloo. A detailed programme is expected to be released later.
ODM has also announced a wider programme dubbed “Mwezi wa Baba”, beginning with a nationwide candle-lighting ceremony on October 2.
The party has scheduled a major memorial rally in Kakamega on October 9, followed by family-led activities between October 10 and October 15. The main memorial service is expected to be held at Kang'o Ka Jaramogi in Bondo on October 15.
Other ODM activities are planned in different parts of the country before the programme culminates in a major rally in Nairobi on October 31.
The parallel programmes have already exposed differences over how Raila's legacy and first anniversary should be marked.
Raila's sister Ruth Odinga has previously questioned the early political mobilisation around the anniversary, warning against what she described as attempts by some people to use the former Prime Minister's name and legacy for political purposes.
The family-led anniversary will therefore come at a sensitive time, with Raila's political legacy still shaping debates within ODM and the wider opposition nearly a year after his death.
