NAIROBI, Kenya- ODM Party Leader Oburu Oginga used the handover of the Raila Odinga Mausoleum to reaffirm his support for President William Ruto’s leadership, while urging the Government to turn its development agenda into jobs for young people.
In a speech read on his behalf by his son Jaoko at Kang’o Ka Jaramogi in Bondo on Wednesday, Oburu said the broad-based government had helped stabilise the country and speed up national development.
He cited the National Infrastructure Fund, the Social Health Authority, fertiliser subsidies, the proposed sovereign wealth fund and education reforms among the gains of cooperation.
Oburu was absent from the ceremony after doctors advised him to rest and limit physical engagements.
His apology was conveyed to guests by Raila Junior, who represented the Odinga family.
Oburu says growth must reach young people
While endorsing the cooperation between ODM and Ruto’s administration, Oburu said investment in infrastructure alone was not enough.
He called for the Government to extend development into sectors that can create meaningful employment, including industry, technology and agriculture.
He said the lack of job opportunities for educated young people was a major concern, warning that prolonged idleness and economic uncertainty could push some towards destructive behaviour.
In his view, economic dignity and access to work were also essential to protecting Kenya’s democratic stability.
The remarks add a youth-employment challenge to Oburu’s message of political cooperation.
He said the broad-based arrangement had produced progress, but argued that its benefits needed to be felt more directly in people’s lives.
Oburu also praised Raila’s Orange Democratic Movement as a key institution in Kenya’s democratic history, citing its role in the struggle for multiparty politics, devolution and accountability.
He described ODM’s participation in the broad-based government as a continuation of Raila’s pursuit of national progress through political engagement.
President Ruto and Raila signed a 10-point cooperation agreement in March 2025.
It included implementing the National Dialogue Committee report, promoting inclusion in governance, protecting devolution and addressing economic challenges.
The agreement became the framework for cooperation between ODM and the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Mausoleum planned as a learning centre
Oburu described the mausoleum as more than a resting place, presenting it as a centre where future generations could study Kenya’s political history and democratic struggle.
The facility is planned to include a library with historical archives, research materials and digital records, as well as galleries and exhibition spaces.
The speech invited the public to attend its official opening on October 15, the first anniversary of Raila’s death.
Oburu thanked Ruto and the Government for the project and praised the multi-agency team involved in its construction, including the Ministry of Defence, the Kenya Defence Forces, the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Public Works.
The speech said the work had been completed within a tight three-month period.
Ruto formally dedicated and handed over the mausoleum at Kang’o Ka Jaramogi on Wednesday.
The National Museums of Kenya will oversee the preservation and interpretation of the site as part of the country’s heritage.
