Profile of Ida Odinga: Early Life, Family, Education & Career

Ida Betty Odinga is one of Kenya’s most influential individuals, not because she is close to those at the helm, but because, for decades, she has been committed to serving and making an impact in both personal and public capacities.

Born Ida Anyango Oyoo on August 24, 1950, in  Migori County, Kenya, she has, over time, made an impact because of her unwavering commitment, intellect, and leadership.

Trained at the University of Nairobi, where she graduated with a BA degree in 1973, the formative years of Ida Odinga have been characterized by a series of transformative developments in the Kenyan socio-political landscape.

In the course of his work at the University of Nairobi, where he worked as a staff member, Raila Amolo Odinga met his wife, who later graduated in 1973.

The union between the pair produced four children: Fidel, Rosemary, Winnie, and Raila Odinga Junior.

The death of the former prime minister’s eldest child, Fidel Raila, in 2015 is a personal tragedy.

Education and Personal Sacrifice

Ida Odinga taught for over twenty years, most of which was at the prestigious Kenya High School in Nairobi.

During this time, she mentored generations of young women, among them the late Bomet Governor Joyce Laboso.

Her teaching career unfolded against a backdrop of political repression, particularly after her husband’s detention following the failed 1982 coup attempt.

Being the spouse of a political prisoner, she brought up children of her own with minimal help, balancing between professional and domestic life under extreme pressure.

Her ultimate dismissal from Kenya High School and removal from the teachers’ quarters, deemed by many to have been politically motivated, appears to have been the catalyst to propel her more openly into civic politics.

Also Read: Ruto Nominates Ida Odinga for International Govt Role

Championing Women and Democratic Reform

In the early 1990s, as it transitioned from a single-party system to multiparty democracy, Ida Odinga rose as a major campaigner on behalf of the political involvement of women.

She founded and served as the inaugural chairperson of the League of Kenya Women Voters, a platform that mobilised women around constitutional reform, democratic rights, and leadership inclusion.

Her advocacy has consistently centred on women, children, health, and vulnerable populations.

She has supported campaigns against breast cancer, obstetric fistula, and jigger infestations, while also mentoring schoolgirls and serving on boards supporting persons with disabilities.

Her public initiatives, such as demanding better standards and accountability within religious institutions, though at times resulting in controversies, only reflect her dedication and commitment to social equity and respecting constitutional ideals, including religious neutrality in public education.

Also Read: Ida Odinga Sends Message to ODM as Internal Divisions Deepen

Business Leadership and National Recognition

Aside from the realm of activism, the woman also broke new ground in the realm of the private sector in Kenya.

In 2003, she took up the role of managing director at East African Spectre, a production company dealing in the manufacture of liquefied petroleum gas cylinders.

Consequently, she made history as the first woman to become the managing director of an industrial production entity in the Republic of Kenya.

Moreover, it is because of her caliber as a woman with many hats in the Republic of Kenya that she received recognition from The Standard in 2010 as being among the top women in Kenya with considerable power.

Her contributions have attracted numerous honours, including two honorary Doctor of Letters degrees and the Elder of the Order of the Golden Heart (E.G.H.) award in 2018, Kenya’s highest civilian decoration.

Ambassador to UNEP

Following the death of her husband, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, on October 15, 2025, Ida Odinga continued her public engagement with characteristic dignity.

Most recently, President William Ruto appointed her by nomination to be Kenya’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme, pending parliamentary approval.

This confirmed appointment would see her represent Kenya at the U.N. institution located in Nairobi to solidify Kenya’s position in  international diplomacy in the field of the environment.

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The Late Raila Odinga and His Wife Ida Betty Odinga. PHOTO/ File