Muturi: Bondo remains central to Kenya’s political history as country marks Raila’s legacy

Muturi made the remarks after attending Sunday service at St Michael and All Angels ACK Cathedral before engaging with residents of Bondo, the home of the late Raila and his father, the former Vice-President and independence-era politician Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.

Muturi said Bondo’s political significance extends beyond being the home of the Odinga family, describing it as a place where political history and the experiences of its people are closely intertwined.

“There are places in Kenya where politics is not merely discussed, it is woven into the history of the people. Bondo is one of them,” Muturi said.

He said Jaramogi helped establish a political tradition that challenged the status quo, while Raila carried forward what he described as a decades-long struggle for political reform, constitutionalism, multiparty democracy and an inclusive Kenya.

Muturi said Raila was a major figure in the country's political development, with his career spanning the campaign for political pluralism, the making of the 2010 Constitution, his tenure as Prime Minister and several presidential contests.

“Raila was never a peripheral figure in Kenya’s politics,” Muturi said, adding that his political journey was “deeply intertwined with the evolution of our Republic.”

He noted that Raila’s influence extended beyond his traditional political base and said his death had left a significant space in Kenya’s political landscape.

Muturi's visit to Bondo comes ahead of October 15, when the country will mark one year since Raila's death.

He said the anniversary should provide an opportunity to reflect on Raila's contribution to Kenya's political history and the ideals he advocated during his political career.

“As we approach October 15, when the country will mark one year since his passing, being in Bondo carries particular significance,” Muturi said.

“We must remember Raila not simply as a politician who commanded a following, but as a major actor in the political transformations that have shaped modern Kenya.”

Muturi said the discussion on Raila’s legacy should also focus on the kind of country he advocated for, including a democratic, just, united and equitable Kenya.

“From Bondo, we continue the conversation on the Kenya that Raila spent his political life advocating for, a democratic, just, united and equitable nation. That conversation belongs to all of us,” he said.