NAIROBI, Kenya — President William Samoei Ruto has explained the symbolic significance behind the decision to have the late former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga lie in state at Parliament Buildings, calling it a gesture of national gratitude for his lifelong service to Kenya.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), President Ruto said the honour reflects Raila’s immense contribution to the country’s democratic and legislative progress during his long and distinguished career in public service.
“For fifteen years, our departed leader, the Right Honourable Raila Amollo Odinga, served the people of Kibera Constituency with unwavering dedication and distinction as their Member of Parliament,” President Ruto wrote.
He described Odinga as a “tireless champion of justice, democracy, and progress,” noting that his leadership in Parliament helped shape some of the most consequential laws in Kenya’s history, including the passage of the 2010 Constitution during his tenure as Prime Minister.
“It is, therefore, most fitting that he lies in state at the August House,” Ruto continued. “This solemn moment allows the three arms of government — the Executive, Parliament, and the Judiciary — and the entire nation to honour, with reverence and gratitude, the life and legacy of a true patriot and statesman.”
President Ruto’s tribute reflects the rare moment of unity that has swept across Kenya’s political landscape since Odinga’s passing — a collective recognition of a man whose struggle for democracy left a lasting imprint on the nation.
