Ugandan Pan-Africanists plan to commemorate Raila Odinga’s legacy on October 15, with an annual lecture at Serena Hotel proposed to promote African unity, democracy and regional integration.
Pan-Africanists in Uganda are preparing to join Kenyans and other Africans in commemorating former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga on October 15, 2026, marking the first anniversary of his death.
The commemoration will celebrate Odinga’s contribution to African unity, democratic governance and the struggle for freedom, while providing a platform to reflect on the legacy of leaders who championed the continent’s development and self-determination.
Pan-African Global Business chairman Captain Mike Mukulu said the event was intended to bring Africans together to reflect on Odinga’s contribution to regional cooperation and the Pan-African movement.
Mukulu said Odinga maintained close relationships with several regional leaders, including the Kabaka of Buganda and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, whom he said shared his vision of African unity.
“The commemoration is intended to bring Africans together to reflect on Raila Odinga’s contribution to the continent and the importance of unity among African nations,” Mukulu said.
The event is expected to attract participants from Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo and other African countries, with several Kenyan guests anticipated to travel to Uganda for the occasion.
Beyond the commemoration, organisers plan to establish an annual lecture at Serena Hotel to promote discussions on the lives, struggles and contributions of prominent African leaders.
Mukulu said the initiative would help young Africans understand the historical struggles that shaped the Pan-African movement and the pursuit of freedom, democracy and continental integration.
He said the lecture would also draw lessons from the legacies of former South African President Nelson Mandela, Ghana’s founding President Kwame Nkrumah and Tanzania’s founding President Julius Nyerere, whose leadership and ideas influenced debates on African unity and self-determination.
“The annual lecture will provide an opportunity for the younger generation to learn from the struggles and achievements of African leaders and understand the importance of preserving their legacy,” Mukulu said.
Mukulu added that the organisers had written to several ambassadors accredited to Uganda, including Kenya’s High Commissioner, Ababu Namwamba, seeking support for the commemoration and efforts to strengthen regional solidarity.
The planned lecture is expected to provide a recurring platform for examining Africa’s political history, celebrating leaders who shaped the continent and encouraging younger generations to contribute to the ideals of Pan-Africanism.