The proposed monument honouring the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga will be erected at the Supreme Court Roundabout along City Hall Way instead of Uhuru Park because of its proximity to the Nairobi County Assembly.
A member of the Nairobi County Assembly’s Budget Committee, Umoja I MCA Mark Mugambi, popularly known as Mark Roro, told County Pulse News that the location was considered more appropriate after the original proposal was reviewed.
“We wanted it close to the County Assembly, making Supreme Court Roundabout a more suitable location for such a monument….hakuna monument hapo ingine ……So Kuna free space mob hapo,” he said.
The Nairobi County Assembly has set aside Sh20 million in the 2026/27 financial year budget for the project, following the approval of a motion to honour Raila’s contribution to Kenya’s democracy and development.
According to Mugambi, the Budget Committee supported the allocation because Raila is widely recognised as one of the country’s foremost champions of democratic reforms.
“Many people refer to. him as the father pf democracy…..he was Jailed, tortured by Former governments all for fighting for freedom of speech …..We felt it was fitting to honour his contribution,” he said.
Why Sh20 million?
Questions have been raised over how the Assembly arrived at the Sh20 million figure.
Mugambi said the committee relied on technical assessments to avoid either overbudgeting or underbudgeting the project.
“We carried out research before settling on the amount. This is public money, so we had to ensure the allocation was realistic,” he said.
He explained that the budget is expected to cater for several aspects of the project, including the monument’s design, construction, lighting and other related works, although detailed cost breakdowns will be released during implementation.
Construction will not begin immediately
Residents should not expect work to start straight away.
Mugambi said the county must first complete several administrative processes, including procurement and the tendering process, before construction can commence.
“There is still paperwork to be completed and a tender has to be floated. It is not a project that can begin immediately,” he said.
No disagreement within the Assembly
Mugambi also revealed that the proposal received unanimous support from Members of the County Assembly, with no member opposing the allocation.
He dismissed concerns that the project could divert funds from other development priorities, saying the Budget Committee carefully balanced competing needs before approving the expenditure.
“We looked at all the county’s priorities before making this decision. There is no cause for alarm because the budget was balanced,” he said.
The allocation follows the County Assembly’s approval of a motion sponsored by Nairobi West MCA John Rex Omolleh, which sought to establish a permanent monument in memory of Raila Odinga, who died in October last year while receiving treatment in India.
Once all approvals and procurement processes are completed, the county executive is expected to begin implementing the project.
