The family of the late former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga has announced detailed plans for the first anniversary of his death, setting the stage for a month-long period of remembrance beginning in October 2026. The plans were announced on Thursday, October 1, 2026, by the Raila Amolo Odinga Memorial National Steering Committee, chaired by Professor Adams Oloo. The committee said the celebrations are intended to bring together Kenyans from different communities, political backgrounds and faiths to remember Raila's life and reflect on the ideals associated with his public career. 

Raila died on October 15, 2025, while receiving medical treatment in India, aged 80. His first anniversary will therefore be marked on October 15, 2026. The newly announced programme will include candle-lighting ceremonies, lectures, sporting activities, tree planting, music, dance and a major celebration in Bondo, Siaya County, where Raila was laid to rest. 

October set aside for Raila's remembrance

According to the National Steering Committee, October has officially been opened as a month of remembrance for Raila. Professor Adams Oloo said the family wants the period to provide an opportunity for Kenyans and people around the world to honour the former Prime Minister's life and legacy.

The committee said the celebrations should go beyond political affiliations and bring together people from different parts of Kenya and different backgrounds. The focus, according to the committee, will be on remembering Raila and reflecting on values such as democracy, justice and national unity. 

The family has also encouraged Kenyans living outside the country to participate in the commemorations. This is particularly important because Raila had a long international profile and maintained political and diplomatic relationships beyond Kenya during his public career.

Nationwide candle-lighting ceremony

One of the first major activities announced is a nationwide candle-lighting ceremony scheduled for Friday, October 2, at 6pm.

The event is being organised by the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), in conjunction with the Nairobi City County Government, and will take place simultaneously at various locations in Kenya and among Kenyans in the diaspora.

In Nairobi, Uhuru Park has been designated as the main venue for the candle-lighting event. Other venues have also been identified in different counties, including Kisumu and Mombasa. The organisers have encouraged Kenyans to participate wherever they are, including from their homes or other organised gatherings. 

Importantly, the family-backed committee said it had been informed about the October 2 candle-lighting organised by ODM and Nairobi County and welcomed it as part of the wider remembrance programme.

This means the October 2 activity will serve as an opening event for the broader month of commemoration.

Official international candle-lighting on October 14

Another major announcement made yesterday was the date of the official international candle-lighting ceremony.

The ceremony will take place on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at 6pm East African Time at Kang'o Ka Jaramogi in Bondo, where Raila was laid to rest.

Raila's widow, Ida Odinga, will lead the ceremony and light the first candle. The National Steering Committee has invited individuals, institutions and organisations from Kenya and other parts of the world to participate at the same time.

People who cannot travel to Bondo will be able to participate from wherever they are. The organisers have encouraged people to light candles at home, in places of worship or at organised gatherings. 

The choice of October 14 is significant because it is only one day before the anniversary of Raila's death.

Major celebration planned for October 15

The main anniversary celebration is scheduled for October 15 at Migwena Cultural and Sports Ground in Bondo Sub-County.

According to the committee, the event will begin at 8am and is expected to bring together Raila's family, friends, political leaders, members of the public and people who want to honour his memory.

Unlike a purely political gathering, the committee has described the event as a celebration of Raila's life. The programme is expected to include different activities designed to reflect the various aspects of his contribution to Kenyan public life.

The activities will include lectures, sports, tree planting, music and dance. 

The organisers have also urged people who plan to attend the Bondo event to arrive early.

Themes of the memorial celebrations

The memorial programme has been organised around themes described as "The People, The Struggle and The Aspiration."

These themes are intended to provide a framework for discussing Raila's life and his long involvement in Kenya's political and public affairs.

"The People" reflects the emphasis the organisers place on Raila's relationship with ordinary Kenyans. "The Struggle" relates to the political and social challenges associated with his decades in public life, while "The Aspiration" provides an opportunity to discuss the ideals and goals that his supporters and family associate with his political journey.

The National Steering Committee has said the celebrations should encourage Kenyans to reflect on the principles Raila championed rather than turning the anniversary into an occasion for division. 

ODM's wider 'Mwezi wa Baba' programme

The family programme comes alongside a separate but related month-long programme announced by ODM, the party Raila founded and led for many years.

ODM has designated October as "Mwezi wa Baba", meaning "Month of Baba." The party's programme includes memorial events in different regions of the country.

After the nationwide candle-lighting ceremony on October 2, ODM plans a major memorial rally in Kakamega on October 9. The event is expected to bring together participants from Kakamega, Vihiga, Busia, Bungoma and Trans Nzoia.

From October 10 to October 15, family-led activities are planned around Bondo and the anniversary period.

After October 15, ODM's programme includes activities in Garissa on October 17, the Coast region on October 18 and 19, Kajiado on October 21 and Turkana between October 23 and 25. The party's programme is scheduled to end with a major Nairobi event on October 31.

The existence of both family-led and ODM-organised activities means October will have a broad range of events connected to Raila's memory.

Family seeks a broader national commemoration

One of the important points contained in yesterday's announcement is the family's emphasis on making the anniversary inclusive.

The National Steering Committee said the commemoration should involve Kenyans regardless of their political, religious or community backgrounds. The committee has presented the month as an opportunity for national reflection rather than an event exclusively for ODM members.

This approach is also reflected in the range of activities planned. Lectures, sporting events, tree planting and cultural performances allow people to participate in different ways beyond political rallies.

The committee has invited Kenyans and friends of Kenya around the world to take part in the remembrance.

Warning against unauthorised fundraising

The committee also issued an important warning on Thursday concerning fundraising.

Professor Adams Oloo said the committee had received information that some people were allegedly attempting to use the anniversary period to solicit money.

He therefore warned that nobody should raise funds in the name of the Odinga family or the National Steering Committee.

The committee said people are free to organise or participate in ways of remembering Raila, but fundraising should not be conducted under the name of the family or committee without authorisation. The warning is intended to protect the public from individuals who could attempt to exploit the large public interest surrounding the anniversary.

Raila's resting place becomes a key venue

Kang'o Ka Jaramogi in Bondo will be an important location throughout the anniversary period.

The site is where Raila was buried next to his father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga. The location will host the international candle-lighting ceremony on October 14 and will remain central to the family-led remembrance activities.

Bondo is particularly significant because of the Odinga family's long association with Siaya County and the wider Nyanza region. Holding the main anniversary activities there allows members of the public to visit Raila's resting place while participating in the commemorations.

Security and public participation

With the anniversary expected to attract large numbers of people, the organisation of crowds will be an important consideration.

Raila's death in 2025 generated huge public interest, with large numbers of Kenyans travelling to attend various mourning and funeral events. The current programme is therefore likely to require coordination between organisers, local authorities and security agencies.

The committee's request for participants to arrive early at Migwena Cultural and Sports Ground indicates the expected scale of attendance.

People planning to attend the Bondo events are likely to need to consider transport, accommodation and crowd-management arrangements as the anniversary approaches.

Why the anniversary is significant

Raila Odinga was one of Kenya's most prominent political figures for several decades. He served as an MP, Cabinet minister and Prime Minister and was a major participant in debates surrounding Kenya's constitutional and political development.

His supporters have associated his political career with the struggle for democratic reforms, political pluralism and social justice. Other Kenyans have different perspectives on particular periods of his political career and policies. The memorial programme provides an opportunity for those aspects of his public life to be discussed and remembered.

The committee's emphasis on democracy, justice and national unity reflects the values it says should guide the anniversary.