President William Ruto has dedicated this year’s Mashujaa Day celebrations to the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga by posthumously honouring him with the highest order of the Chief of the Order of the Golden Heart of Kenya (C.G.H.).
The award was also officially announced by Ruto when he led celebrations to mark the day in Kitui county, held just five days after Odinga’s passing on October 15.
“In his honour, we confer upon him Kenya’s highest civilian award, the Chief of the Order of the Golden Heart (C.G.H.), First Class. This distinction secures Mr Odinga’s place among the foremost of our national heroes, a legacy that will inspire generations”, he said.
It was also gazetted in a notice dated October 20, 2025, which coincided with the national holiday. President Ruto hailed the ODM party leader as one of the principal architects of Kenya’s modern democratic order. He however regretted that Kenya, Africa, and the World had lost a Statesman of rare moral courage, a visionary patriot, a unifier of the people and a champion of justice.
“ His name will forever be etched in the annals of our Republic; and whereas, the unprecedented outpouring of grief across the nation and beyond our borders stands as a testament to his enduring influence, his extraordinary service, and the profound affection in which he is held by a grateful municipal, regional, continental and global community”, he said.
“Now therefore, on this Mashujaa Day, the Twentieth Day of October in the year Two Thousand and Twenty-Five, and in reverent recognition of the Late Rt. Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga’s extraordinary contribution, shining legacy, and the bottomless debt of gratitude owed to him; on behalf of the Government and People of Kenya, it is my profound honour to act under the authority of the Public Seal of the Republic so as to inscribe his name among the foremost of our national heroes”, the notice read.
“In testimony whereof, and on behalf of an eternally grateful nation, I, William Samoei Ruto, PhD., C.G.H., President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, in exercise of the powers conferred by Article 132 (4) (c) of the Constitution, do posthumously confer the following title of honour to RT. HON. Raila Amolo Odinga Order of the Golden Heart of Kenya, First Class – Chief of the Order of the Golden Heart of Kenya (C.G.H.)”, the notice states.
The President called on Kenyans to emulate Baba, who always put the country’s interest above self.
In his memory, he pledged to champion the causes he held most dear: A democratic culture, strengthening food security, advancing value addition, agro-processing and industrialisation, expanding energy access, and driving infrastructure development.
Raila was given a state burial Sunday at his home in Kang’o Ka Jaramogi, Bondo, Siaya County, next to his father, the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.
EXPLAINER
Mashujaa Day, also known as Heroes’ Day (“mashujaa” is Swahili for “heroes”), is a national day in Kenya, which is observed on 20 October as a public holiday to collectively honour all those who contributed towards the struggle for Kenya’s independence or positively contributed in the post-independence Kenya.
Other Kenyans are also feted for their outstanding service, and this year, 160 will receive various awards across 14 heroic categories.
