ODM Urges Kenyans to Light Candles at 6PM on Friday as Country Prepares to Mark One Year Since Raila Odinga’s Death
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has called on Kenyans at home and abroad to light candles at exactly 6pm on Friday, October 2, 2026, in memory of former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga as the country prepares to mark the first anniversary of his death.
The nationwide candle-lighting ceremony will form part of a month-long programme of commemorative activities organised in honour of the late opposition leader, who died on October 15, 2025, while receiving medical treatment in India.
ODM has designated October as Mwezi wa Baba, a period dedicated to remembering Raila’s life, political journey and contribution to Kenya’s public affairs. The party is inviting Kenyans from different backgrounds to participate in the candle-lighting exercise, regardless of their location.
In its announcement, the party encouraged people to light a single candle wherever they may be, including at home, workplaces, schools and other locations. The exercise is intended to create a shared moment of reflection as Kenyans remember a political figure whose career spanned several decades.
ODM chairperson Gladys Wanga has also urged citizens to participate in the tribute, describing it as an opportunity to remember Raila and reflect on the values and causes associated with his public life.
The candle-lighting exercise will take place simultaneously across the country at 6pm, with Kenyans living abroad also invited to participate. The party has presented the initiative as a simple but symbolic way for people to join the national remembrance programme.
In Nairobi, the main candle-lighting event is scheduled to take place at Uhuru Park, with activities beginning at 3pm ahead of the 6pm ceremony. Other designated venues include Treasury Square in Mombasa and Kisumu Central Square in Kisumu.
The event has been organised in collaboration with the National Steering Committee coordinating preparations for the first anniversary of Raila’s death. The committee is also overseeing other commemorative activities expected to take place throughout October.
The choice of a candle-lighting ceremony reflects the intention to bring people together through a shared act of remembrance. Participants will have an opportunity to pause, reflect and remember a leader whose influence extended beyond ODM and its supporters.
For many Kenyans, Raila was a familiar figure in national conversations about leadership, democracy, political competition and constitutional reforms. His political journey included years in opposition, periods of detention, presidential campaigns and service in government.
His death in October 2025 marked the end of one of the most recognisable political careers in Kenya’s post-independence history.
A month-long programme to remember Raila
The October 2 candle-lighting ceremony will mark the beginning of a wider programme of activities organised by ODM under the Mwezi wa Baba initiative.
According to the programme announced by the party, the commemorations will include memorial rallies, regional gatherings and activities involving the Odinga family. The events are intended to give people from different parts of the country an opportunity to participate in remembering the former Prime Minister.
A major memorial rally is scheduled to take place in Kakamega Town on October 9. The gathering is expected to bring together participants from Kakamega, Vihiga, Busia, Bungoma and Trans Nzoia counties.
The programme will then move towards family-led commemorations running from October 10 to October 15. These activities will culminate in the main memorial service at Kang’o Ka Jaramogi in Bondo, Siaya County, on October 15, marking one year since Raila’s death.
The commemorations will continue after the anniversary date, with another memorial rally planned for Garissa Town on October 17. Activities are also scheduled in the Coast region on October 18 and 19, followed by a gathering in Kajiado on October 21.
The programme will extend to Turkana between October 23 and 25 before concluding with a major Mwezi wa Baba memorial rally in Nairobi on October 31.
The activities demonstrate the geographical reach of the planned commemorations, with events expected in different regions rather than being concentrated in Raila’s traditional political strongholds.
ODM has encouraged Kenyans to participate in the activities as an opportunity to reflect on the former Prime Minister’s life and the issues he championed during his years in public service.
The party’s programme is running alongside preparations coordinated by the national steering committee established to oversee the first anniversary memorial.
The family-led committee, chaired by Professor Adams Oloo and deputised by Rarieda MP Dr Otiende Amollo, was commissioned by Raila’s widow, Mama Ida Odinga, on September 17, 2026.
It brings together representatives from the government, political institutions, civil society, academia, the private sector and the Odinga family.
The involvement of different institutions reflects the national scale of the anniversary preparations and the intention to coordinate activities involving people from different sectors.
Remembering Raila Odinga’s political journey
Raila Amolo Odinga died on October 15, 2025, aged 80, while receiving medical treatment in India. His death was announced following a medical emergency at a hospital in Kochi, where he had travelled for treatment.
His passing triggered widespread mourning across Kenya, with political leaders, government officials, international representatives and ordinary citizens expressing condolences.
He was buried at his family home in Bondo, Siaya County, following a state funeral and several days of national mourning.
Raila’s political career stretched across several decades, making him one of the most prominent figures in Kenya’s political history. He served as Prime Minister between 2008 and 2013 under the Grand Coalition Government formed after the disputed 2007 presidential election.
His appointment to the position followed the National Accord agreement between the opposing political sides, which was brokered with the assistance of former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and other international leaders.
During his time in government, Raila remained an influential figure in national political discussions, particularly on governance, constitutional reforms and the implementation of the country’s development agenda.
Before becoming Prime Minister, he had spent many years in opposition politics and was associated with campaigns for political pluralism and democratic reforms.
He was also among the political figures who experienced detention during the one-party era. His experiences during that period became an important part of his public political identity.
Raila unsuccessfully contested the presidency in 1997, 2007, 2013, 2017 and 2022. Despite failing to secure the country’s highest office, he remained a central figure in electoral politics and continued to command national attention during successive election cycles.
His political influence was not limited to his presidential campaigns. He played a major role in the formation and development of opposition movements and political parties, including ODM, which became one of the country’s major political organisations.
He was also closely associated with the campaign for the 2010 Constitution, which introduced significant changes to Kenya’s governance structure, including the establishment of county governments.
His supporters frequently identify him with the struggle for democratic space, constitutional reforms and the expansion of political freedoms. His critics, meanwhile, have questioned some of his political decisions and alliances over the years.
These different perspectives form part of the broader public discussion surrounding his legacy.
ODM reflects on the legacy of its founding leader
Raila’s death created a significant moment for ODM, a party whose identity and political development had been closely associated with his leadership.
For many years, he served as the party’s most recognisable figure, leading its presidential campaigns and shaping its position on national political issues.
His absence therefore presented the organisation with the challenge of maintaining its structures, managing leadership changes and defining its political direction without the person who had been central to its public identity.
Following his death, his elder brother, Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga, assumed an acting leadership role before being formally confirmed as party leader at a Special Delegates Convention.
The transition has taken place amid internal discussions and disagreements over the party’s future direction, including its relationship with President William Ruto’s administration and the broader political environment.
The October memorial programme therefore comes at a significant period for the organisation as it continues to navigate life after its long-serving leader.
However, ODM has presented the commemorations primarily as an opportunity to remember Raila and reflect on his contribution to the country.
The candle-lighting ceremony is expected to bring together people who supported him politically, those who worked alongside him and Kenyans who simply wish to participate in remembering his life.
The exercise also provides an opportunity for younger generations to learn more about a political figure whose career unfolded during several important periods in Kenya’s history.
Why the October 2 candle-lighting matters
The nationwide candle-lighting ceremony is expected to provide a moment of collective remembrance ahead of the actual anniversary of Raila’s death on October 15.
By encouraging people to participate from wherever they are, ODM is seeking to make the activity accessible to Kenyans who may not be able to attend the main memorial events.
The symbolism of lighting a candle is commonly associated with remembrance, reflection and honouring people who have passed away. In this case, the party has adopted the gesture as part of its wider effort to commemorate its former leader.
The event also highlights the different ways Kenyans remember public figures who have played important roles in the country’s political and social development.
For some, Raila’s legacy is closely connected to his role in opposition politics and campaigns for democratic reforms. Others remember his service as Prime Minister, his involvement in the constitutional reform process or his influence on Kenya’s political landscape.
His long political career also meant that he interacted with different generations of Kenyans, many of whom followed his activities throughout their lives.
The October programme provides an opportunity for those different groups to participate in the anniversary activities, although their individual interpretations of his legacy may differ.
As Friday approaches, attention will turn to the planned candle-lighting events in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu and other parts of the country.
Kenyans who wish to participate have been encouraged to light a candle at exactly 6pm, wherever they may be.
The exercise will officially launch a month of activities dedicated to remembering the former Prime Minister before the main anniversary service takes place at Kang’o Ka Jaramogi in Bondo on October 15.
As ODM marks the first anniversary of Raila Odinga’s death, the commemorations will also provide an opportunity to reflect on the political history he helped shape and the issues that continue to feature in Kenya’s national conversation.
For a country that followed his political journey for decades, the anniversary is expected to bring back memories of his public speeches, electoral contests, political alliances and contributions to national debates.
Through the Mwezi wa Baba programme, ODM is inviting Kenyans to take part in that remembrance, beginning with a single candle at 6pm on Friday, October 2.
