The newly upgraded Raila Odinga Stadium in Homa Bay County was full to capacity on Saturday night, hours before the official 62nd Madaraka Day celebrations.
Videos that circulated on social media showed crowds streaming into the stadium as early as 9 p.m. to secure seats; at at 11pm the stadium was full to capacity, and as at 3am only VIP seats were available
The stadium, recently expanded from a modest 3,000-seat capacity, to 12, 000 now features state-of-the-art amenities and has been repositioned as a top-tier venue for sports, tourism, and national events.
The event under the theme “Harnessing Kenya’s Blue Economy for National Prosperity.” will be graced by President William Ruto.
He will be joined by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. President Nataša Pirc Musar of Slovenia is the chief guest at this year’s celebrations. She is currently on a three-day state visit to Kenya.
Madaraka Day, celebrated every year on June 1st, is one of Kenya’s most significant national holidays ; marking the moment in 1963 when Kenya gained internal self-rule from British colonial powers.
This milestone was the first major step toward full independence, which was later achieved on December 12, 1964.
President Ruto, who arrived in Homa Bay on Thursday, where he launched several infrastructure and development projects as part of his government’s broader push for regional equality and economic empowerment.
