Raila Odinga Musical Opens in Nairobi on 14 January

KENYA · NAIROBI THEATRE

A new stage musical about Kenya’s late opposition leader Raila Odinga opens in Nairobi in January 2027. Early-bird seats cost about US$15.40 on Madfun.

Raila: A Musical is a new stage show about Raila Odinga, Kenya’s best-known opposition leader. It runs from Thursday, 14 January 2027 to Sunday, 17 January 2027 at the Kenya Cultural Centre in Nairobi.

Odinga died in October 2025, and the producer says the show asks what a nation takes from those who answer its call. Early-bird tickets cost about US$15.40, and the cheapest seats are on sale now.

What the Musical Is

The producer, History in Theatre, calls it a musical of courage, cost and coming home. It follows Odinga through detention, exile, the Saba Saba protests and the long road to multiparty democracy.

The story also follows his wife, who finds her own voice as she fights for his freedom. It follows the children who grew up listening for his footsteps.

Madfun names History in Theatre as the organiser of the show. The producer’s site names no cast, director or creative team.

The producer’s site gives no running time or age guideline. Those gaps are listed below under What Is Not Known.

In Plain English

• Raila Odinga: Kenya’s long-time opposition leader and a former prime minister, who died on 15 October 2025.
• Saba Saba: the 7 July 1990 rally at Kamukunji Grounds in Nairobi, where opposition leaders demanded multiparty democracy.
• History in Theatre: the organiser Madfun lists for the musical.
• Madfun: the Kenyan ticketing platform that sells the seats.
• eTA: the electronic travel authorisation that most visitors, including US citizens, must obtain before flying to Kenya.

Who Was Raila Odinga

Odinga died on Wednesday, 15 October 2025, aged 80, after a cardiac arrest during a morning walk in Kerala, India, allAfrica reported. The outlet calls him a former prime minister and long-time opposition leader.

Kenyans.co.ke reports he had been detained in earlier pro-democracy campaigns between 1982 and 1988. It says he confirmed his support for multiparty advocacy as the first Saba Saba rally took place on 7 July 1990.

He ran unsuccessfully in five presidential elections, allAfrica says. The Rio Times covered the first anniversary of his death in October 2026.

Dates, Times and the US Clock

Madfun lists six shows over four days, all in Nairobi time. The Thursday opening is a VIP show only, and the other five shows have early-bird and advance tickets.

• Thursday, 14 January 2027: 6:00 p.m. (VIP show), which is 10:00 a.m. Eastern.
• Friday, 15 January 2027: 7:00 p.m., which is 11:00 a.m. Eastern.
• Saturday, 16 January 2027: 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., which are 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Eastern.
• Sunday, 17 January 2027: 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., which are 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Eastern.

Kenya keeps East Africa Time, three hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time all year. In January, when US clocks are on standard time, Nairobi is eight hours ahead of Eastern time.

Madfun gives each show a time window, ending at 6:30 p.m. for matinees and 10:00 p.m. for evenings. These are listing windows, not published running times.

Tickets and Costs

Madfun, a Nairobi ticketing platform, is the seller named on the show’s own website. Every ticket button on the producer’s page leads to Madfun.

Early-bird tickets cost KSh 2,000 (about US$15.40) for the Friday, Saturday and Sunday shows. Madfun showed them as available on 26 October.

Advance tickets cost KSh 2,500 (about US$19.25) and are listed from Tuesday, 10 November. The VIP show on Thursday, 14 January 2027 costs KSh 5,000 (about US$38.50).

Conversions use KSh 129.87 per US$1, the open.er-api.com rate of 26 October 2026. Madfun says it shows the full price before you pay.

The listing does not say what a VIP ticket includes beyond the show itself. Budget separately for food, drinks and the ride home, since the page prices none of them.

The Venue and Getting There

Madfun lists the venue as the Kenya Cultural Centre in central Nairobi and links a Google Maps pin. The producer has not published a street address or entrance.

Madfun’s map pin for the venue sits at about 1.278 degrees south and 36.816 degrees east. This article has not verified bus, minibus or ride-hailing times to the venue.

The 7:00 p.m. shows end after dark, so ask your hotel to book a car for the return trip. The 3:00 p.m. shows on Saturday and Sunday end in the early evening, which may suit first-time visitors.

Tips for US and Foreign Visitors

US citizens need an electronic travel authorisation before entering Kenya, applied for at etakenya.go.ke. Standard processing starts at US$30 and is generally handled within three business days, the portal says.

Expedited processing costs an extra US$100 and is handled immediately, the portal says. It also asks for a passport valid for six months, with at least one blank page.

Citizen Digital reported that the State Department renewed its Kenya advisory at Level 3, Reconsider Travel, on Monday, 19 October 2026. It cites health risks including Ebola, plus crime, kidnapping, terrorism, civil unrest and road safety.

Citizen Digital says the advisory tells Americans not to travel to Eastleigh and Kibera in Nairobi. Its list does not name central Nairobi, but check the State Department map yourself.

Kenya confirmed a ninth Ebola case on Tuesday, 20 October, all within one known cluster, Health Director General Dr. Patrick Amoth said. He said all eight surviving patients were responding well to treatment.

The show is 80 days away, so these figures will change; check the State Department and CDC pages before booking flights. The Rio Times also has a guide to Kenya’s visitor insurance rule.

Why It Matters Before Kenya’s 2027 Vote

The Standard reports that Kenya’s electoral commission set Tuesday, 10 August 2027 as general election day. The musical opens about seven months earlier.

None of the pages this article read names a political party as a sponsor of the show. Treat it as a theatre event about a public figure, not a campaign event.

What It Means for You

If you are already in Nairobi in January, this is a theatre ticket at about US$15.40 to US$38.50. The Saturday and Sunday 3:00 p.m. shows are the easiest to fit into a visit.

If you are still planning a trip, keep flights and rooms refundable until the Ebola picture is clearer. Expats in Nairobi can book the early-bird price now and choose a weekend matinee.

What Is Not Known

The producer has not published a cast, a running time, gate times, a seating plan or an age guideline. Ask before bringing children, since the story covers detention and exile.

Madfun’s event page shows no refund terms of its own, only a link to a general policy, and no accessibility arrangements. Madfun is the only source for the dates and prices, and the producer’s social pages could not be read.

The State Department page could not be opened on 26 October, so the Level 3 details come from Citizen Digital. The Ebola count is the Health Ministry’s figure of 20 October and may be out of date.

What Comes Next

Advance tickets at KSh 2,500 (about US$19.25) are listed from Tuesday, 10 November, so early-bird buyers have until then. Watch the Madfun page for the cast and the exact running time.

Kenya’s Ebola response will also shape travel plans before the opening night on Thursday, 14 January 2027. Check the Ministry of Health and CDC for updates in December.

Connected Coverage

Start with the Nairobi city guide for arrival, costs and transport. The wider Kenya hub has the latest news.

For the man behind the musical, read Kenya Marks 1 Year Without Raila Odinga. For the vote ahead, read Who Can Challenge Ruto in Kenya’s 2027 Election.

For the travel warning, read Kenya Travel Advisory Level 3: What US Visitors Must Know. For the entry rule, read the guide to Kenya’s eTA and travel insurance.

Frequently Asked Questions

When and where is Raila: A Musical?

It runs from Thursday, 14 January 2027 to Sunday, 17 January 2027 at the Kenya Cultural Centre in Nairobi. Evening shows start at 7:00 p.m. Nairobi time, which is 11:00 a.m. Eastern.

How much do tickets cost?

Early-bird tickets cost KSh 2,000 (about US$15.40) and advance tickets KSh 2,500 (about US$19.25) from 10 November. The Thursday VIP show costs KSh 5,000 (about US$38.50).

Do US visitors need a visa to attend?

US citizens need a Kenya eTA, which starts at US$30 and takes about three business days. The State Department rates Kenya Level 3, Reconsider Travel, so check it before you book.

Sources: Madfun, Raila: A Musical tickets; Raila: A Musical, producer site; allAfrica; Kenyans.co.ke, Saba Saba; Kenya eTA portal; Citizen Digital, Level 3 advisory; Citizen Digital, ninth Ebola case; The Standard, election date; open.er-api.com exchange rates (all accessed 26 October 2026).

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