On October 15, just five days after Huduma day and five to Mashuja day, Kenya and the world received the sad news of the passing of former Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga.  Huduma day celebrates Kenya’s cultural diversity and heritage while Mashuja honours the heroes who fought for the nation’s freedom from colonial rule.

Since his passing, there have been many tributes from across the world. It is evident that Africa and particularly the people of Kenya have lost a contemporary leader of this millennium.

Makerere University joins the people of Kenya, especially our alumni, in mourning the passing of Rt. Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga, hailed as a true defender of human dignity and a strong defender of the sovereign rights of the people of Kenya.

You see, Rt. Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga was the son of Makerere University alumnus and Kenya’s first Vice President, H.E. Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, a key figure in Kenya’s struggle for independence. Jaramogi studied at Makerere in the 1940s, earning a Diploma in Education before returning to Maseno High School as a teacher.

At that time, attending Makerere was a rare achievement. The university admitted only a small, elite group of students from across East Africa, most of them men from mission-educated or privileged backgrounds. Admission was highly competitive, and graduates were often destined for leadership roles in administration, education, religion, or politics in their later years. Today, the University boasts of more female admissions and graduates.

Makerere, founded in 1922 as a technical college, had by the 1940s, become a university college affiliated with the University of London. Moreover, regardless of the field of study, it stood and still stands as a pillar of higher education in Africa.

It is no surprise, then, that many of East Africa’s post-independence leaders passed through Makerere’s gates. Among them were Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Milton Obote, Julius Nyerere, and Mwai Kibaki all of whom played crucial roles in shaping their nations in the highest levels of service. More than an academic institution, Makerere served as a breeding ground for nationalist ideals and Pan-African solidarity, a legacy it proudly continues to uphold today.

In his lifetime, Raila Odinga advanced the nationalist and Pan-Africanism legacy. His reflections in his 2013 memoir, The Flame of Freedom, offer a profound perspective into the legacy he leaves behind. He constantly called for unity across tribal and political affiliation, urging not only Kenyans but also all Africans to put differences aside and work together for a more progressive continent.

In his trademark Nyundo hat and raised fist, Raila Odinga played a formative role in the architecture of Kenya’s political landmark and we can proudly say, Raila carried forward a legacy deeply connected to Makerere’s historic role in shaping Africa’s post-independence leadership.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to the Odinga family, the people of Kenya, the current Kenyan student community, our alumni, and all who found inspiration in his vision and work.

May his legacy live on, as We continue to Build for the Future.