Raila Odinga mausoleum: What KSh 30 Million Cost Covered, Imported Italian Stone

The mausoleum honouring the late former prime minister Raila Amolo Odinga, unveiled at Kang'o Ka Jaramogi in Bondo, Siaya county, on October 7, 2026, was constructed at an estimated cost of KSh 30 million.

President William Ruto unveiled the Raila Odinga mausoleum on October 7. Photo: William Samoei Ruto/Watimbai. Source: Facebook

President William Ruto presided over the commissioning of the structure, which was built by the Kenya Defence Forces under the Ministry of Defence.

Although a full line-item breakdown of the budget has not been made public, official tender documents and government statements offer a window into where the funds went.

A considerable share of the expenditure went towards premium imported materials.

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The burial chamber's central tomb, measuring six square metres, is clad in Italian Carrara marble, selected for its white colouring and distinctive veining.

Religious leaders led prayers during the official unveiling of Raila Odinga’s mausoleum. Photo: William Samoei Ruto. Source: Facebook

The same stone lines the interior walls and paved walkway, giving the space a formal and solemn character.

Custom artistic features added further to the cost. A geometric stained-glass window adorns the structure, and the design incorporates historical photographs, informational placards, and a life-size buffalo sculpture at the entrance.

The buffalo references the traditional "Jowi" symbol associated with Raila's political identity. The building itself adopts a pentagonal form, a deliberate architectural nod to the "Pentagon" political alliance he assembled before the 2007 general elections.

The Raila Odinga mausoleum featured imported Italian marble. Photo: William Samoei Ruto. Source: Facebook

The Ministry of Defence served as project manager, with military engineers working alongside technical staff from the National Museums of Kenya (NMK).

The project was initiated under Tender No. NMK/T/03/RAO/MAUS/2025-2026, which also covered renovations to the adjacent Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Mausoleum.

Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya cited the KDF's "proven capacity, discipline and record in delivering quality infrastructure projects within strict timelines" as the basis for selecting the military to lead construction.

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Tuya also assured the public and the Odinga family that "quality shall not be compromised by the speed that we have to put into this project." The entire build was completed in roughly three months.

Raila Odinga mausoleum cost KSh 30 million. Photo: William Samoei Ruto. Source: Facebook

The KSh 30 million figure drew scrutiny from some quarters. Kisumu deputy governor Mathew Owili suggested the sum could instead serve as seed capital for a larger public-private partnership initiative, such as a museum and library, rather than covering the mausoleum alone.

The completed facility has been designated a protected national heritage site.

Beyond the burial chamber, it includes a main memorial hall, archival galleries, a landscaped reflection courtyard, and modern security installations.

Officials described the site as a "living classroom" intended to support remembrance, education, and cultural tourism.

The precise allocation between marble, glasswork, labour, and other components remains undisclosed.

Kenyan firm Cadplan Architects designed both the newly completed mausoleum and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga’s monument.

Raila’s mausoleum features a five-sided design inspired by his raised-fist gesture, while its construction by KDF engineers was reportedly directed by President William Ruto and cost KSh30 million.

Asher Omondi (Copyeditor) Asher Omondi is currently the Head of Business Desk at TUKO.co.ke. He has over seven years of experience in digital media. Previously, he had worked in various organisations both as a social media manager and a monitor (FEMNET, Ghafla Kenya). He was a Broadcast Journalism student at the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication class of 2013. You can reach Asher at asher.omondi@tuko.co.ke.