President William Ruto speaking during a media engagement in Kisumu on September 14, 2026 / ScreengrabPresident William Ruto has said he is in talks with the Kisumu County government and residents of the region over a proposal to rename Kisumu International Airport after the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Speaking during a media engagement at Kisumu State Lodge on Monday, Ruto said the airport could be renamed Raila Odinga International Airport as part of efforts to honour the former Prime Minister.
Ruto said Nairobi’s Talanta Stadium would be renamed Raila Odinga International Stadium when it is officially opened.
“I am in discussion with the county government here and the people of this region, with the possibility of renaming Kisumu International Airport, also as Raila Odinga International Airport, right here in Kisumu,” Ruto said.
He said the stadium is at the tail end of construction, with workers completing the remaining works. Lighting and water systems were being tested, while audio systems were also undergoing tests, and grass had been planted at the facility.
Ruto said Talanta Stadium could be officially opened within the next month, adding that the government was looking for teams to play the first match at the facility.
“Nobody is forcing us to do it. I'm doing it out of respect for the late Prime Minister, who was an Arsenal fan like myself,” Ruto said.
The President said the proposed renaming of the two facilities was motivated by his desire to honour Raila.
Ruto also used the media engagement to highlight the government’s investment in sports infrastructure across the Nyanza region and other parts of the country.
He said the government is constructing a new stadium in Migori, while a stadium in Homa Bay has already been completed. The redevelopment of Moi Stadium in Kisumu is also ongoing, and Ruto said he had passed by the site on Sunday.
The proposal is among several measures the President said his administration was pursuing to honour Raila, who died last year. Ruto also announced that Talanta Sports City in Nairobi would be renamed Raila Odinga International Stadium when it is officially opened.
The President said the decision was driven by his respect for Raila, whom he described as a great statesman who had a big vision for Kenya. He said the stadium was nearing completion, with contractors undertaking final works, including testing of lighting, water and audio systems and laying of the playing surface.
“We are going to open Talanta Stadium now as Raila Odinga International Stadium,” Ruto said. He said the decision was not being imposed on anyone but was his way of honouring the former Prime Minister.
“Nobody is forcing us to do it. I'm doing it out of respect for the late Prime Minister, who was an Arsenal fan like myself,” he said.
Raila's anniversary
The President said the government was also working with Raila’s family on plans to mark the first anniversary of his death. He said he had directed that a mausoleum be constructed in honour of Raila and that improvements be made to the existing mausoleum of his father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.
Ruto said he expected the works to be completed by October 14, allowing the government to hand over the facility to the family ahead of the anniversary commemorations. He said the government would support the family in organising activities befitting Raila’s status as a national statesman.
The President also pointed to ongoing sports infrastructure projects across Nyanza, saying the government was constructing a new stadium in Migori, had completed the stadium in Homa Bay, and was upgrading Moi Stadium in Kisumu and developing a stadium in Siaya.
The announcements come as Ruto undertakes a tour of the Nyanza region, where his administration is seeking to deepen its political and development ties with the region.
The President also said that the government was developing sports infrastructure across Kenya because of the country’s strong sporting tradition.
He defended his decision to use sports funds to finance stadium construction, following criticism over the government’s plan to commit the money to infrastructure projects for the next seven years.
“There are people who are accusing me of using the sports fund to develop sports infrastructure in Kenya,” Ruto said.
“They are saying, ‘Oh, William Ruto has gone to securitise. He has committed that money for the next seven years for him to be able to construct all these stadia.’ Yes, it is true.”
Ruto said the sports fund had existed for the past 15 years and questioned what had been achieved with the money during that period.
He said he had decided to commit the funds for seven years to prevent them from being abused or misused and to ensure Kenyans could see tangible infrastructure developed through the money.
“The sports fund has been here for the last 15 years. What has it been doing? Can they account for the last 15 years? The reason why I decided to securitise it is so that it's not available for abuse, it's not available for misuse, and we can see the infrastructure,” Ruto said.
The President said the stadiums would provide facilities for young people and help nurture sporting talent across the country.
He said the facilities would also generate resources that could be used for their operations and maintenance.
Ruto said the government plans to build 32 stadiums across Kenya over the seven-year period, including the Raila Odinga International Stadium in Nairobi.
“This stadium we are building here in Kisumu will serve the young people of Kisumu. The ones we are building in every other part of Kenya will serve the young people of those areas,” he said.
Ruto maintained that he would make the same decision again, saying the investment in sports infrastructure was necessary for the development of Kenya’s sporting sector.
“If I had an opportunity to do it, I would do it again, because it's the right thing to do,” he said.
