Ida Odinga said the centre would form part of a broader programme of diplomatic, academic and national tributes honouring Raila Odinga’s legacy. She expressed gratitude for the honours being extended in his memory across national institutions. She noted that Daystar University had been among the first institutions to begin preparations for an elaborate symposium celebrating his legacy before confirming that the University of Nairobi would establish a permanent academic institution in his honour.
The planned centre is intended to become a regional platform for research, scholarship and public dialogue on democracy and governance in Africa. According to the University of Nairobi, it will be anchored in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration within the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. The university says it has already completed the centre’s governance framework, operational guidelines, partnership model and a five-year strategic plan covering the period between 2026 and 2030.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Ayub Gitau said the project had evolved from an idea into a fully developed institutional proposal. “We will not just commemorate a life; we will launch an enduring centre dedicated to advancing democratic values, scholarship and public dialogue,” Prof Gitau said.
The university says the centre is designed not simply as a memorial but as a living institution that will examine Kenya’s democratic journey and emerging governance questions. It will provide a platform for academics, policymakers, civil society organisations, democracy institutions and members of the public to engage in discussions about governance across Kenya and the wider African region.
The location also carries personal significance for the Odinga family. The University of Nairobi says Raila served as a lecturer in the Faculty of Engineering during the 1970s, where he met Ida Odinga while she was an undergraduate student in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.
During earlier consultations with the university leadership, Ida Odinga urged the institution to ensure the centre became more than a symbolic tribute. She challenged the university to make it a place that encourages rigorous debate, critical thinking and new ideas rather than simply celebrating Raila’s legacy. “It is the people inside that give the Centre its meaning, not just the name on the outside,” she told university leaders during the September 4, 2026, meeting.
Winnie Odinga echoed similar sentiments, saying the family hoped future generations would use the centre to ask difficult questions about democracy, leadership and Kenya’s political future.
The inauguration is expected to take place in October 2026, deliberately aligning with the week marking the first anniversary of Raila Odinga’s passing. The university is also preparing an inaugural Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga Memorial Lecture on Democracy, with Stanford University democracy scholar Professor Larry Diamond expected to deliver the first lecture.