Ruto Misses Raila’s First Memorial as Sifuna, Karua and Opposition Leaders Gather in Bondo

By The Nairobi Review | October 15, 2026

As Kenya remembers Raila Odinga one year after his death, the absence of President William Ruto and the presence of outspoken opposition figures have placed the spotlight on the country’s changing political landscape.

A memorial overshadowed by political questions

Bondo, Siaya County, became the centre of national attention on Thursday, October 15, 2026, as Kenyans gathered to commemorate one year since the death of former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga.

At Migwena grounds, family members, political leaders and supporters assembled to remember a man whose influence stretched across generations of Kenyan politics. Yet, alongside the tributes and memories, one question attracted considerable attention: where was President William Ruto?

Ruto, who had been expected to attend the anniversary, was absent from the gathering. Instead, his scheduled programme included development activities in Elgeyo-Marakwet and Baringo counties.

The president’s absence became a talking point because of the complicated relationship he shared with Raila, a political relationship that moved from rivalry to cooperation during the final years of the former prime minister’s life.

It was a striking moment at a gathering intended to honour Raila’s legacy, although the president’s reasons for not attending should not be confused with assumptions about his personal feelings towards the late leader.

Edwin Sifuna shows up as opposition leaders honour Baba

Among the notable figures who attended the memorial was Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, whose political disagreements with sections of the Orange Democratic Movement leadership have placed him at the centre of an increasingly intense debate over the party’s future.

Sifuna arrived in the region alongside Embakasi East MP Babu Owino ahead of the ceremony. Their presence was significant because both politicians have been associated with the Linda Mwananchi movement, which has questioned the direction of the broad-based political arrangement involving President Ruto.

People’s Liberation Party leader Martha Karua also attended, joining other leaders who travelled to Bondo to pay tribute to Raila.

Other prominent figures at the commemoration included Siaya Governor James Orengo, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and former President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Their attendance brought together politicians with different political interests but a shared connection to Raila’s long public life.

For Sifuna, the occasion also carried a personal and political dimension. Raila was a defining figure in ODM, the party in which Sifuna served as secretary-general. His appearance at the memorial came amid public disagreements about ODM’s leadership, political independence and direction ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Ruto’s absence raises questions about political symbolism

Raila and Ruto had a relationship marked by dramatic changes. They were once political allies, later became rivals, and eventually entered a period of cooperation after Ruto assumed the presidency.

Their broad-based government arrangement represented a significant shift in Kenya’s political landscape, bringing some ODM figures into cooperation with the administration that Raila had previously opposed.

Ruto also supported Raila’s campaign for the African Union Commission chairmanship, although Raila ultimately lost that contest in February 2025.

Following Raila’s death in India on October 15, 2025, the president publicly mourned him as a statesman whose contribution to Kenya could not be ignored.

Against that background, Ruto’s absence from the first anniversary memorial attracted attention. The president was carrying out official development engagements elsewhere in the country, but his decision not to appear at Bondo left opposition leaders and Raila’s supporters to dominate the visible political presence at the event.

The absence alone, however, does not establish a political motive. What it does demonstrate is how even a commemorative occasion can become a subject of public debate in a country where political symbolism carries considerable weight.

A family’s appeal to remember the man, not the politics

Raila’s widow, Ida Odinga, and other family representatives had called on Kenyans to focus on the former prime minister’s life and legacy rather than turn the anniversary into a political contest.

Their message was particularly important given the tensions surrounding ODM and the emerging political alignments ahead of the 2027 elections.

Raila’s political career was defined by decades of agitation for multiparty democracy, constitutional reform and electoral justice. He also played a central role in the power-sharing settlement that followed the disputed 2007 General Election and in the 2018 handshake with Uhuru Kenyatta.

His supporters remember him as a tireless campaigner for democratic change. His critics, meanwhile, often disagreed with his political strategies and alliances. Both realities form part of the record of a political career that shaped Kenya for more than five decades.

The memorial offered an opportunity to reflect on that complicated legacy beyond the immediate calculations of party politics.

The question of who carries Raila’s political legacy

One year after his death, the gathering in Bondo also highlighted a broader question: who will carry forward Raila’s political legacy?

For some, that legacy is inseparable from ODM and its established leadership. For others, it lies in the principles of political accountability, democratic competition and the right of citizens to challenge those in power.

Sifuna’s presence, alongside Karua, Kalonzo and other leaders, illustrated the continuing importance of Raila’s legacy to politicians who remain critical of the government.

At the same time, the differing positions within ODM demonstrate that the future of Raila’s political movement is not settled. His death left behind a party, a political tradition and a constituency whose interests will not necessarily be represented by a single leader or alliance.

The memorial was therefore more than an anniversary. It was also a reminder of the political questions that remain unresolved in the period following Raila’s death.

A legacy larger than one memorial

The events in Bondo on October 15, 2026, captured two realities of Kenyan politics: the enduring public interest in Raila Odinga and the continuing disagreements over the country’s political future.

President Ruto’s absence drew attention. Edwin Sifuna and other opposition figures were present. But the most enduring question may be whether Kenya’s political leaders can preserve the democratic ideals associated with Raila while navigating the fierce competition that follows his passing.

For the thousands who gathered to remember him, the anniversary was first and foremost about a life that touched millions.

Political disagreements will continue. Alliances will change, parties will compete and the 2027 elections will bring new battles. Yet Raila’s place in Kenya’s political history will continue to be debated long after the crowds leave Migwena grounds.

The Nairobi Review will continue to follow the political developments surrounding Raila Odinga’s legacy, ODM’s future and the shifting alliances ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Editorial note: This report is based on media coverage published on October 15, 2026. Interpretations of political significance are analysis, not confirmation of the motives behind any leader’s decision.