Raila Jr Vows to Restore Father’s Iconic ‘Hammer’ Car and Preserve It at Kang’o ka Jaramogi Museum

Raila Odinga Junior has announced plans to restore his late father Raila Odinga’s famous “Hammer” campaign car and permanently place it at Kang’o ka Jaramogi, the Odinga family mausoleum and museum in Bondo.

Junior said the Hummer H3, which became one of the most recognisable symbols of Raila Odinga’s 2007 presidential campaign, will undergo a full restoration before being moved to the museum as part of efforts to preserve the family’s political history.

“My intention is to restore it and take it to the museum at Kang’o ka Jaramogi,” he said in response to an X user who claimed the vehicle had been abandoned after the former PM’s passing.

The bright-red Hummer, gifted to Raila Odinga by businessman Don Bosco Gichana ahead of the 2007 polls, became an instant sensation.

It was not just transport but a political brand.

At rallies, crowds roared “Hummer! Hummer! Hummer!” as Odinga rode in it, projecting power, modernity and a disruptive image that defined his campaign. In Luo, supporters later coined the name “Hammer,” or Nyundo, symbolising Raila’s force and his ability to shake Kenya’s political establishment.

However, after the tumultuous 2007–08 post-election period, the vehicle faded from the public eye, surfacing only briefly before being stored away.

Raila Odinga’s long-time aide Silas Jakakimba welcomed Junior’s pledge to restore the car, revealing new details about how the machine became part of the Odinga political brand.

In a detailed account, he said he was the first person to see the Hummer when Bosco Gichana acquired it and immediately recognised its potential impact on the campaign trail.

“I told him I had a feeling this car had the uniqueness we’d covet for Jakom’s campaign appearances,” Jakakimba recalled. “He asked whether Mzee would like it, and I told him once he saw its impact in the terrains, he would be aligned.”

Jakakimba praised Junior’s move to preserve the car at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Museum, saying it was a fitting tribute to a crucial piece of political history.

Raila Odinga Junior and family paying last respect to the late father Raila Odinga.

He said the Hammer captured the spirit of Raila’s 2007 run, which he noted “won the presidential vote by majority,” and symbolised the former PM’s long-standing efforts to reshape Kenya’s governance landscape.

The restoration and relocation of the Hammer marks a renewed effort to document and safeguard political artefacts associated with the Odinga family, whose influence spans generations from the country’s independence era to the present day.

The vehicle is expected to become a key attraction at Kang’o ka Jaramogi, adding to the legacy of one of Kenya’s most prominent political dynasties.