The Siaya County Government has suspended all official functions following the death of former Prime Minister Raila Amollo Odinga, describing the moment as one of deep sorrow and national mourning.
Governor James Orengo said the county had taken the decision out of respect for the late Odinga, whom he described as a national hero and the driving force behind Kenya’s democratic transformation.
“The circumstances dictate a review of the ongoing programme of the Siaya International Trade and Investment Conference. As such, 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 highly regret any inconvenience caused,” said Governor Orengo.
The governor noted that the county’s immediate focus will now shift to supporting the Odinga family and participating in national mourning activities.
President William Ruto has already declared seven days of national mourning in honour of Raila Odinga, directing that the national flag be flown at half-mast across the country and in all Kenyan missions abroad.
In an emotional tribute, Governor Orengo described Raila Odinga as a statesman whose legacy transcends politics and time.
“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, and the driving force behind the realisation of the 2010 Constitution,” he said.
Governor Orengo added that Odinga’s death had robbed the nation of a revolutionary and visionary leader whose influence shaped Kenya’s political and social evolution for more than fifty years.
“Kenya has lost not just a politician but a revolutionary, a visionary and singular force whose shadow stretched across the most consequential five decades of our history. For the people of Siaya, the entire Luo Nyanza region, and the nation as a whole, we have lost our patriarch, the symbol of resilience and a relentless champion of our political and economic rights,” he stated.
The Siaya International Trade and Investment Conference, known as SITICO 2025, was underway in Bondo and had drawn both local and international participants. The county government said new dates for the conference and other official engagements will be announced later.
“Further communication on the rescheduled dates for SITICO 2025 and other official engagements will be issued in due course,” the statement added.
The suspension of county programmes underscores the depth of grief felt in Siaya, Odinga’s home county, and highlights his enduring influence on both local and national politics. Residents across the region have continued to gather in homes, churches and public spaces to honour his memory, with many describing him as the father of Kenya’s modern democracy.
