BONDO, KENYA — Uganda was among the nations that paid their final respects to the late Right Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga, former Prime Minister of the Republic of Kenya, during his State Funeral held in Bondo, Siaya County, on Saturday.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni was officially represented by Right Hon. Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, Uganda’s former Prime Minister and Special Envoy to the President, accompanied by Hon. John Mulimba, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in Charge of Regional Cooperation.
The Ugandan delegation joined thousands of mourners, including heads of state, regional leaders, dignitaries, and citizens from across Kenya and the East African region, at the solemn ceremony held at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST).
In his message delivered by Dr. Rugunda, President Museveni described Raila Odinga as “a steadfast statesman whose commitment to democracy, Pan-Africanism, and the unity of our region will forever be remembered.”
Raila Odinga, who served as Kenya’s Prime Minister from 2008 to 2013, was honored for his lifelong dedication to good governance, justice, and the empowerment of ordinary citizens. His burial marked the end of an era for one of Africa’s most influential political figures.
The presence of Uganda’s delegation reaffirmed the deep historical and fraternal ties between Uganda and Kenya, as well as the shared vision for peace, integration, and prosperity within the East African Community.