The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has invited Kenyans to light candles across the country on Friday, October 2, to remember former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, exactly one year after the nation lost him. The ceremony will take place at 6pm, and the party wants everyone to join in, whether they are at home, at work, in town or in the village.
According to the party, the candle-lighting will happen at the same time in different parts of Kenya. People will gather at county headquarters and other venues that have been set aside for the event. Those who cannot reach any of these places have been asked to light a candle wherever they are, so that the whole country remembers together.
ODM explained that it planned the event together with the National Steering Committee, the team working on preparations for the first anniversary of the Raila Odinga Memorial. The announcement came after the party's Central Committee met on September 9, 2026, and later shared its decision with the public.
In Nairobi, the main programme will be held at the Uhuru Park Grounds. Members of the public can start arriving from 3pm, and the candle-lighting itself will happen at 6pm. In Mombasa, residents will meet at Treasury Square in the Central Business District, while Kisumu, a town closely tied to Raila's politics, will hold its event at Kisumu Central Square.
ODM chairperson Gladys Wanga also spoke about the event on her X account and urged Kenyans both at home and in the diaspora to take part. She spoke of Raila with the names many Kenyans know him by. She called him "Baba", "Agwambo Wuod Nyalego" and the father of devolution. She said the country lost a giant a year ago, a leader and an enigma whose place has been hard to fill.
Wanga added that some legacies do not fade, some memories do not die, and some voices keep living in the hearts of a nation. Her message shows how the party wants the day to feel. It is meant to be a moment of quiet reflection, not a loud political rally.
The party said the October activities are meant to give Kenyans a chance to remember Raila and think about what he stood for. They are also meant to recall the causes he fought for and the mark he left on Kenyan society. ODM described him as one of a kind under the hashtag #MweziWaBaba, and invited people from all walks of life to "Light up for Baba" wherever they will be.
The campaign is not limited to one evening. ODM has set aside the entire month of October for activities to honour the late leader, which means more events could follow the candle-lighting as the anniversary draws closer. The party has tied all of them to the #MweziWaBaba campaign, which is already being used online to share stories and tributes.
Raila died on October 15, 2025, at the age of 80, while receiving medical treatment in India. The news shocked the country and brought grief across political, ethnic and regional lines. Kenyans of different backgrounds, including many who had opposed him politically, paused to reflect on his long role in the country's history.
His death was followed by a state funeral and a period of nationwide mourning. Thousands of people turned up to pay their last respects, and many lined the roads as his body was moved from place to place. He was finally laid to rest at his family home in Bondo, Siaya County, where he was buried among his own people.
The candle-lighting on October 2 will come just under two weeks before the first anniversary of his death on October 15. By holding it earlier, ODM is opening the month of remembrance and giving supporters time to prepare for the bigger commemoration that will follow.
For many Kenyans, Raila was more than a politician. He served as Prime Minister in the coalition government and was for decades one of the loudest voices in the push for reforms, multiparty democracy and a new constitution. Supporters often link him to the devolved system of government, which brought resources and decision-making closer to the counties. That is why Wanga used the title "father of devolution" in her message.
Even those who disagreed with him in politics admit that he shaped the country's direction in a big way. His influence was felt in elections, in national debates and in the handshakes and deals that changed Kenya's political mood at different times.
As the day approaches, ODM leaders and officials are expected to mobilise members in the counties to make sure venues are ready and people know where to go. The party has asked Kenyans to keep the mood peaceful and respectful, in line with the spirit of the occasion.
By evening on October 2, candles are expected to glow in towns, estates and villages across the country, from Uhuru Park in Nairobi to the lakeside city of Kisumu and the coast in Mombasa. For a few minutes at 6pm, many Kenyans will stop, reflect and remember the man they called Baba, one year after he left the country he served for most of his life.
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