Why Raila's family wants a political ceasefire on October 15

Raila Odinga's daughter Winnie Odinga greets President William Ruto as Mama Ida Odinga and Raila Odinga Junior look on during the dedication of Raila's mausoleum at Kang'o ka Jaramogi in Bondo, Siaya County, on Wednesday. [PCS]

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga's family has called for a political truce ahead of his first anniversary, urging leaders to make October 15 a day of remembrance rather than political rivalry.

Raila's daughter Winnie Odinga, an East African Legislative Assembly MP, appealed on Wednesday during the dedication of his mausoleum at Kang'o ka Jaramogi in Bondo, Siaya County.

She said the family had invited people of different political inclinations, communities, and countries to honour Raila but did not want the occasion to turn into a contest over political influence.

“We may hold political convictions, different ones. We may disagree strongly about the direction of our country, but you are welcome here,” Winnie said.

“Nobody is being asked to surrender their beliefs at the gate. As his family, we call for a political ceasefire in his honour.”

Winnie said the October 15 memorial should not become a platform for political competition or attacks between rival camps.

“It should not become a political showground, a competition over who owns the crowd, who receives the loudest cheers, or who can embarrass another guest,” she said.

She also urged the family to give ordinary supporters a prominent place in remembering Raila, saying many had stood by him without political titles or access to leaders.

“Many of Baba's people had no titles, they had no escorts, and they had no access to the high table,” Winnie said.

“They stood in the rain, they travelled far, they prayed for him, they believed that their country could be better. Their place in his story must be protected too.”

The October 15 memorial will be the climax of a month-long programme to mark Raila's first anniversary.

The programme includes regional commemorative events, candle-lighting ceremonies and a main memorial service at Kang'o ka Jaramogi in Bondo, bringing together Kenyans from different political and social backgrounds.

Mama Ida Odinga, Raila's widow, used the ceremony to reflect on her husband's long political relationship with President William Ruto.

“You and Raila competed fiercely in politics, but there were also moments when you found a way to speak, to work together, and when you believed the country required it,” Mama Ida told Ruto.

She recalled Ruto's defence of Raila after the 2007 elections and during the mediation led by former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

“So when I see you, maybe some people may think that you just started with the handshake, but you started long, long time ago,” she said.

Mama Ida said Raila's political opponents did not necessarily remain enemies.

“As I've told you, this guy had no enemies, but his enemies were temporary. And before you know it, they were friends,” she said.

Ruto said Raila was willing to put national unity ahead of political interests when the two men worked together.

“Raila was a fighter. He pushed hard to extend the boundaries of our democracy. But unlike many politicians, he knew when to step back. Whenever insisting on his way would block the path to national unity, he chose the nation,” Ruto said.

He defended the Broad-Based Government, which brought members of Raila's ODM party into his administration, saying it was not a deal for political power.

“The Broad-Based Government was not a pact for power; it was a commitment to Kenya,” Ruto said.

He also recalled Raila's remarks at the final ODM Parliamentary Group meeting he attended on September 22, 2025.

Ruto quoted Raila as saying: “Whatever the differences and misgivings we have as parties or leaders, we must have a country first.”

Members of the Odinga family, political leaders, and other guests attended the ceremony. ODM leader Oburu Oginga, Raila's elder brother and Siaya Senator, was absent while recovering from treatment at Nairobi Hospital and following doctors' orders to rest.

His son Jaoko Oburu read a message on his behalf, while Raila Odinga Junior conveyed his apology to guests.

Oburu had handed the mausoleum site to the Kenya Defence Forces on July 20 ahead of its construction.

The mausoleum stands beside that of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Raila's father and Kenya's first Vice-President.

Ruto said the five-sided structure recalls the ODM Pentagon of 2007 and represents unity. He said the next phase would include the Raila Memorial Library Museum and Research Centre.

Raila died in Kochi, India, on October 15, 2025, aged 80, and was buried at Kang'o ka Jaramogi four days later.

The family will hold his first anniversary memorial on October 15, with Winnie inviting Kenyans to attend with their songs, dances, poems and memories.