January 20, 2019 marks 25 years since the death of Kenya’s first vice president Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.
Contrary to tradition, Oginga’s family had a low-key service to mark the anniversary after Nasa Leader Raila Odinga announced that they had pushed the memorial service to February.
According to Raila, the memorial which had been set to take place in Kisumu was pushed after Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyon’go who was one of the organizers fell ill.
He also cited their busy schedules for the month of January as part of the reasons the memorial was pushed to February.
“Given that the governor was sick and the month also seemed squeezed for us, and because of the tight schedule, we decided to postpone the event to next month,” Raila announced.
The Nasa leader also announced that this year, they would break traditions from the usual location in Bondo and would hold the event in Kisumu.
He explained that this being the quarter-century anniversary, they changed the location to ensure that more people attended.
“This is the first event of its kind that we are hosting outside Bondo. We want people to turn up for this ceremony,”
He also announced that the memorial would be a two-day event that will attract both local and foreign dignitaries.
In the Itinerary, the February memorial will start with a morning service at St Peters Cathedral in Kisumu and then a public lecture at Tom Mboya Labor College.
The memorial will then be concluded with a public gathering at the Jomo Kenyatta Sportsground.
“The public lecture has attracted scholars, leaders, students and the general public who are all welcomed to the event,” Raila announced.
Accompanying the family for the service at Nyamira ACK church in Bondo were President Uhuru’ brother Muhoho Kenyatta and Jubilee Party Secretary Raphael Tuju.
