A delegation of students from Makerere University in Uganda visited Siaya County on Tuesday to pay their last respects to the late former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga.
The visit marks yet another show of solidarity and admiration for the late opposition leader, whose influence extended far beyond Kenya’s borders.
The students, drawn from various faculties, visited Kang’o Ka Jaramogi in Bondo, where Raila was laid to rest.
Upon arrival, the group was warmly received by members of the Odinga family and officials at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Mausoleum.
They proceeded to the graveside, where they laid wreaths and observed a moment of silence.
The students also conducted prayers and sang solemn hymns before touring the mausoleum, which houses historical artefacts, photographs, and personal effects documenting the Odinga family’s political journey.
According to the students, they were inspired by Raila’s lifelong struggle for democracy, good governance, and Pan-African unity.
The Makerere students’ visit follows a growing stream of mourners and delegations from different sectors, including political leaders, civil society groups, and international dignitaries, who have continued to flock to Siaya since Raila’s burial.
The Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Mausoleum, located at Kang’o Ka Jaramogi, has become a major point of pilgrimage for those seeking to reflect on the life and contributions of both Raila and his father, Kenya’s first Vice President, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.
Since Raila’s burial on October 19, Kang’o Ka Jaramogi has continued to attract thousands of visitors from across the country and abroad.
Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta was the first high-profile leader to visit the site shortly after the funeral.
Uhuru described Raila as “a patriot who devoted his life to the service of Kenya and the African people.”
Other leaders who have since paid homage include Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, and several county governors.
According to Kalonzo, Raila firmly believed that Africa must speak with one voice and that the continent’s future depends on unity and shared purpose.
As the African Union’s High Representative for Infrastructure Development, Raila worked to advance this vision across the continent.
“He envisioned a continent connected by railway lines, roads, energy corridors, and digital networks, a continent bound not by borders but by shared purpose. He often reminded us that ‘Africa cannot trade or integrate without infrastructure.’ For Raila, this connection was more than development. It was liberation, a living symbol of Pan-African unity,” Kalonzo said.
Diplomats from the African Union and representatives of liberation movements from the continent have also toured the mausoleum to honour Raila’s legacy.
The Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Mausoleum remains open to the public and has become one of the country’s most significant sites of political heritage and national memory.
