Thousands of Kenyans thronged the newly upgraded Raila Odinga Stadium in Homa Bay County on Saturday night, hours before the official 62nd Madaraka Day celebrations.
The national event, set for Sunday, has drawn huge attention, with videos circulating online showing crowds streaming into the stadium as early as 9 p.m. to secure seats.
By midnight, the 12,000-seater stadium was nearly full, underscoring the immense public interest in the first-ever national Madaraka Day celebration hosted in Homa Bay County.
The stadium, recently expanded from a modest 3,000-seat capacity, now features state-of-the-art amenities and has been repositioned as a top-tier venue for sports, tourism, and national events.
The event will be graced by President William Ruto, who will lead the day’s celebrations under the theme “Harnessing Kenya’s Blue Economy for National Prosperity.”
He will be joined by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, whose hometown pride on the occasion is palpable.
In a significant diplomatic gesture, President Nataša Pirc Musar of Slovenia is the chief guest at this year’s celebrations.
She is currently on a three-day state visit to Kenya, highlighting growing international ties.
Madaraka Day, marked every June 1st, commemorates Kenya’s
attainment of internal self-rule from British colonial rule in 1963.
The celebrations are traditionally filled with military parades, cultural displays, and speeches reflecting on national progress and aspirations.
Homa Bay has seen a flurry of activity in the lead-up to the big day.
President Ruto, who arrived in the region on Thursday, has launched several infrastructure and development projects as part of his government’s broader push for regional equality and economic empowerment.
Among the key projects unveiled are the tarmacking of the 40-kilometre Marindi–Oria Bridge Road, the commissioning of 901 affordable housing units in Kisumu under the LAPFUND Makasembo initiative, and the launch of the Lake Victoria Point project in Kirembe.
The President also oversaw the groundbreaking for the Gor Mahia Ring Road in Magina and the revitalization of the Homa Bay pier—a critical infrastructure long neglected, now being restored to boost the blue economy.
