As Kenya mourns and celebrates the life of the late former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga, who passed away in India on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, students at The Eldoret National Polytechnic (TENP) chose a unique and heartfelt way to pay tribute to the national icon.

In a symbolic event, the students planted eight trees and lit eight candles to commemorate the eight decades lived by Raila Odinga — a man celebrated for his courage, leadership, and lifelong dedication to democracy and justice.

A Tribute Rooted in Action

The clean-up and tree-planting exercise brought together the school administration, student leaders, and the Trop Eangles Foundation, led by founder Viola Cheptoo. The initiative aimed to blend environmental conservation with remembrance, showing that legacy can live through both people and nature.

The institution’s Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Health, Juliet Mokiera Patricks, said the activity reflected the students’ recognition of the great loss the nation had suffered. She noted that each planted tree and candle symbolized a decade of Raila’s impactful life.

A Legacy That Lives On

Student leader Kelvin Ocharo echoed Mokiera’s sentiments, saying that Raila’s courage and resilience would continue inspiring the youth across generations.

Mokiera concluded by emphasizing that true honour to Raila Odinga lies in living out his values: confidence, unity, and service.

“Honouring a man like Raila Odinga means ensuring his legacy lives on,” she said.

Raila Odinga, who died at 80 from cardiac arrest while receiving treatment in India, continues to unite Kenyans in grief and admiration.