The Siaya County Government has suspended all official functions to mourn the death of former Prime Minister Raila Amollo Odinga. The county described the moment as one of deep national pain and reflection.
Governor James Orengo made the announcement on Wednesday morning, confirming that the Siaya International Trade and Investment Conference, known as SITICO 2025, has been postponed to allow the county and residents to join the nation in mourning.
“The circumstances dictate a review of the ongoing programme of the Siaya International Trade and Investment Conference. All plenary sessions and side events are postponed to a later date as we join the family and the nation in mourning our departed leader. We regret any inconvenience caused,” said Governor Orengo.
The governor said Raila Odinga’s passing had touched every corner of the country and urged Kenyans to reflect on the values that the late leader stood for.
“Words fail me to express the shock, deep sorrow and immeasurable grief at the news of the untimely passing of my brother, my friend, my party leader, a statesman and a towering figure of Kenya’s second liberation. Raila was the driving force behind the realisation of the 2010 Constitution,” he said.
President William Ruto earlier declared seven days of national mourning in honour of the former Prime Minister. The President directed that the national flag be flown at half-mast in all public institutions and Kenyan missions abroad.
Governor Orengo described Raila Odinga as a revolutionary who transformed Kenya’s political and social landscape over five decades.
“Kenya has lost not just a politician but a revolutionary, a visionary and a singular force whose presence defined our modern politics. For the people of Siaya, for Luo Nyanza, and for the nation as a whole, we have lost our patriarch, our symbol of resilience and our relentless champion of rights and equality,” he said.
The Siaya County Government said it would issue new dates for SITICO 2025 and other county programmes once the period of mourning is over.
The suspension of events reflects the emotional weight of Raila Odinga’s death in his home region. Residents of Siaya, Bondo, and surrounding areas have gathered in churches, open grounds, and family homes to pay tribute to a man they regard as the father of modern democracy.
Across Kenya, messages of condolence continue to pour in as leaders and citizens remember Raila Odinga’s unmatched role in shaping the nation’s political direction and fighting for justice and freedom.
