KAMPALA — Pan-African Global Business Forum leader Capt. Mike Mukula is set to lead Uganda’s commemoration of the late former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, with prayers and candle lighting planned to mark the first anniversary of his death.
The ceremony will take place on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at All Saints Church in Kampala, bringing together Ugandan leaders, members of the Kenyan community and other East Africans to celebrate Odinga’s legacy and his contribution to African unity.
Mukula has described Odinga as a strong advocate of Pan-Africanism, East African political integration and the proposed African federation, noting that his influence extended beyond Kenya to the wider African continent.
He said the late leader believed in a united Africa and stronger regional cooperation, adding that his political journey reflected a commitment to democratic participation and continental leadership.
Mukula also recalled his personal friendship with Odinga, revealing that the former Kenyan Prime Minister had visited him several times at his home in Soroti and maintained close ties with Uganda.
He noted that Odinga’s burial attracted widespread attention and emotional tributes across Kenya, East Africa and other parts of Africa, demonstrating the impact he had on people across the continent.
The first-anniversary prayers are expected to attract Ugandan government officials, Kenya’s High Commissioner to Uganda, Ababu Namwamba, and members of the East African community, including Kenyans, Tanzanians, Rwandans, Burundians, Congolese, South Sudanese and Somalis.
Mukula has called on the media and the public to support the commemoration, arguing that Africa should continue celebrating its influential leaders long after their passing.
He cited historical African leaders such as Nelson Mandela, Patrice Lumumba, Kwame Nkrumah and Gamal Abdel Nasser as examples of personalities whose contributions continue to inspire generations across the continent.
The ceremony, scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m., will feature prayers and candle lighting in honour of Odinga, with organisers hoping to use the occasion to renew calls for African unity, regional integration and cooperation among East African countries.
The commemoration comes as the region continues to pursue stronger economic and political ties through the East African Community, a vision that Mukula says remains central to the late Odinga’s Pan-African ideals.
