Hundreds of mourners gathered at All Saints Cathedral in Kampala on Tuesday for a solemn memorial service in honour of Raila Amolo Odinga, Kenya’s former Prime Minister, who passed away in India on October 15, 2025, aged 80.
The service, led by Archbishop Dr. Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, brought together leaders and citizens from across the region to celebrate Odinga’s life, legacy, and enduring influence on African democracy. Among the attendees were Ugandan Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, members of Odinga’s family including his daughter Rosemary Odinga and a host of regional dignitaries who paid tribute to his decades-long contribution to governance, reform, and regional integration.
Speakers at the ceremony hailed Odinga as a visionary statesman, freedom advocate, and pan-African leader whose political journey inspired movements for justice and democracy across the continent. Archbishop Kaziimba described him as “a leader who fought for equality and stood firm for the rights of the ordinary citizen.”
The memorial underscored Odinga’s impact beyond Kenya’s borders, reflecting his close ties with Uganda and his broader efforts toward strengthening East African unity.
Meanwhile, back in Kenya, Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) reaffirmed its commitment to fostering national unity and sustaining its broad-based government alliance until 2027 a move seen as honouring his vision of inclusive governance and political stability.
The Kampala service forms part of a series of regional tributes preceding the late leader’s state funeral in Kenya, where thousands are expected to gather to bid farewell to one of Africa’s most influential political figures.
By Michelle Ndaga
