Ruto Honours Raila: Late Leader Awarded Kenya’s Highest National Honour
Kenya’s President William Samoei Ruto has posthumously honoured the late Raila Amolo Odinga with the Order of the Golden Heart of Kenya (First Class) — the nation’s highest distinction — in recognition of his lifelong service, democratic courage, and Pan-African legacy.
The announcement appeared in a Special Issue of the Kenya Gazette dated October 20, 2025, coinciding with Mashujaa Day, and cited Odinga’s “extraordinary contribution and the bottomless depth of gratitude owed to him.”
President Ruto hailed Odinga as “a statesman of rare moral courage, a visionary patriot, a unifier of the people, and a champion of justice whose name will forever be etched in the annals of our Republic.”
Honour Reflects Raila’s National Legacy
The recognition was made under Article 132(4)(c) of the Constitution, which empowers the President to confer state honours in the name of the people of Kenya. The Gazette Notice No. 15198 underscored Odinga’s immense influence, calling him “one of the principal architects of Kenya’s modern democratic order.”
Odinga, who died on October 15, 2025, in Kerala, India, was remembered for his decades of service — from university lecturer and Member of Parliament to Cabinet Minister, Leader of the Opposition, and Prime Minister between 2008 and 2013.
The notice praised his lifelong dedication to democracy, governance, and human rights, noting that whether “in government or outside of it, Rt. Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga exemplified sacrifice, Pan-Africanism, and faithful service to humanity.”
Nation and Continent Pay Tribute
Ruto’s decision to bestow this highest honour came amid widespread mourning across Africa and beyond. Leaders from multiple nations attended Odinga’s burial in Bondo, Siaya County, on October 19, marking the end of an era for one of Africa’s most influential political figures.
The Order of the Golden Heart of Kenya is traditionally reserved for heads of state and eminent leaders who have made outstanding contributions to the Republic. By receiving it posthumously, Raila Odinga joins an elite circle of national heroes whose legacies are permanently inscribed in Kenya’s official roll of honour.
