NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 20 – President William Ruto has posthumously confered former Prime MInister, the late Raila Odinga with the Order of the Golden Heart (CGH) for his service and contributions to national unity.
Speaking during the Mashujaa Day celebrations at the Ithooke Stadium in Kitui, the president described Odinga as a selfless leader who fully believed in Kenya.
“I have today conferred upon the Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga the highest honour of the republic, the chief of the order of the golden heart of Kenya,” he stated.
“It was never about Raila becoming president, it was about Kenya having a good president. He believed that Kenya’s best days were still ahead. He endured prison, persecution and political defeat yet never gave in to bitterness or hopelessness.”
He pledged to continue with the quest to make Odinga’s legacy for Kenya to be a first world country a reality.
He highlighted food security, enhanced valiue addition and infrastructure development as the government’s priority projects.
“Time has come to take the country forward and the first priority is food security. We cannot talk of prosperity when we spend over Sh500 billion every year importing rice, maize and wheat into the country,” he stated.
At the start of the celebrations, President Ruto dedicated the 2025 Mashujaa Day celebrations to Odinga honouring his legacy as a monumental statesman even as he recalled his desire for a united nation.
“Yesterday, we bid farewell to one of Kenya’s most consequential and impactful sons, a towering statesman, a resolute patriot and a hero: Raila Amolo Odinga. This is the man, the legend and the pan-Africanist, to whom we dedicate this Mashujaa Day celebrations,” he said.
While leadng the nation in observing a moment of silence in his memory, President Ruto recalled that the former Prime Minister understood the need for a stable nation.
“To Raila, there was no place on earth deserving more devtion,” President Ruto indicated.
“As the nation continues to observe the 7 days of mourning the passing of our former Prime Minister, it is fitting and worthy to anchor this year’s Mashujaa celebrations in our departed legend Raila Odinga.”
The Order of the Golden Heart of Kenya is reserved for the most distinguished service to the nation and is rarely awarded.
Past recipients include heads of state and extraordinary figures who have shaped the country’s destiny.
By bestowing the honor on Odinga posthumously, Kenya has symbolically cemented his place in the pantheon of national heroes remembered on Mashujaa Day.
The conferment comes just days after Odinga’s passing on October 15, 2025, which triggered an unprecedented wave of mourning across the nation and beyond.
Visiting Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye also praised Kenya’s Mashujaa Day celebrations, describing them as a meaningful way to honour heroes and heroines who fought for independence and contributed to the nation’s growth.
Speaking as the Chief Guest at this year’s celebrations, President Faye said such events serve as vital educational tools for future generations, inspiring patriotism and national pride.
“I’m here for the duty of remembrance because our heroes deserve respect, honor and admiration. Colonial history is not all about enslavement but also struggle, dignity and justice long delayed. The sons are daughters of Africa must be celebrated because it is an educational tool for transmission of our values,” he stated.
He also paid tribute to Odinga, acknowledging his immense contribution to Kenya’s democracy and development.
