Indian Community Plans Grand Statue for Raila Odinga in Nairobi CBD

The Indian community in Nairobi has announced plans to honor the late former Prime Minister Raila Amollo Odinga with a grand statue in the heart of the city. The group is now seeking approval from Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja to construct the monument within the Central Business District (CBD) as a lasting tribute to Odinga’s legacy of unity, democracy, and justice.

Former Parklands Highridge Member of County Assembly (MCA) Jayendra Malde revealed the community’s intention on Sunday, saying they are ready to fully finance the project as a gesture of gratitude for Odinga’s lifelong contribution to Kenya’s political transformation.

“We as the Indian community are ready to build Baba a big statue in CBD in his memory, provided the governor approves,” said Malde, who served as Parklands Highridge MCA between 2017 and 2022.

Malde confirmed that the community would formally write to President William Ruto and Governor Sakaja requesting an official location for the monument. The proposed statue, he further noted, would serve as an ode to Odinga’s legacy and an emblem of Kenya’s multiculturalism. Most viewed him as a champion of social justice and a national unifying force.

“Tomorrow, we as the Indian community will send a formal letter to H.E. William Ruto and H.E. Sakaja to give us a site in CBD for Baba’s statue,” he stated.

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According to Malde, Odinga’s visionary leadership, resilience, and dedication to democracy resonated deeply across communities, including Kenya’s Indian diaspora. Many viewed him as a defender of social justice and a unifying national figure.

He went on to add that apart from honoring Odinga, the statue would celebrate Kenya’s diversity and honor the enduring friendship between communities who have lived peacefully for generations.

If approved, the statue could become one of Nairobi’s most iconic monuments, standing alongside those of Tom Mboya and other national heroes.

The announcement comes shortly after Germany’s Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Odinga’s alma mater, revealed plans to launch an academic exchange program in his honor. Odinga studied mechanical engineering at the institution between 1965 and 1970, earning a master’s degree. The university’s president, Professor Jens Strackeljan, recently visited Kenya’s Embassy in Berlin to convey condolences and present a commemorative plaque to the Odinga family.

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