One year after the passing of former Prime Minister and African Union Commission Chairperson Raila Odinga, his son Raila Junior opened the doors of Opoda Farm to mourners arriving from across the globe to honour his father’s memory.
The footage, filmed on October 15, 2026, shows a formal outdoor gathering on the patterned stone courtyard in front of the family’s large white-pillared home.
Guests mingled beneath a covered veranda in what carried both a ceremonial and celebratory weight, marking exactly one year since Raila Odinga passed away in India on October 15, 2025.
Raila Junior’s emotional welcome at Opoda Farm
In a video shared on his TikTok account, Raila Junior was captured receiving guests and posing for photos with goats delivered by visitors who brought them as gifts of respect, a tradition common in most cultures when paying respect.
The scene was a deeply personal one for Junior, who also shared his thoughts in a moving caption accompanying the footage.
“Right at this door, I welcomed you and saw you off on many occasions, not just as a son, but as your child, Dad. Today, standing here and receiving guests from all over the world, bringing gifts, love, and emotional support as they come to pay their last respects, my heart is overwhelmed with emotions,” he wrote.
He added:
“It is painful to know that you will never walk through this door again. Your presence is deeply missed, Baba, but your love and legacy will forever live in our hearts. Continue resting in eternal peace, Dad.”
A legacy honoured a year on
Junior and his mother stood together to receive the mourners, reflecting the family’s unity in commemorating a figure who shaped Kenyan and African politics for decades.
Raila’s life was one defined by relentless pursuit of democratic reform, multiple presidential bids, and eventually an appointment to lead the African Union Commission.
The gathering at Opoda Farm brought together supporters and dignitaries who clearly felt the weight of the occasion, arriving not just with words but with tangible offerings, a testament to the deep affection many still hold for the man they called Baba.
Watch Junior welcome guests at Opoda Farm during the first anniversary memorial below:
@raila.junior Right at this door, I welcomed you and saw you off on many occasions, not just as a son, but as your child, Dad. Today, standing here and receiving guests from all over the world, bringing gifts, love, and emotional support as they come to pay their last respects, my heart is overwhelmed with emotions. It is painful to know that you will never walk through this door again. Your presence is deeply missed, Baba, but your love and legacy will forever live in our hearts. Continue resting in eternal peace, Dad. #RailaJunior #BabaAnniversary #RailaOdinga ♬ original sound – Raila Odinga Junior
