Profile of Catherine Omanyo, New ODM Secretary-General

Catherine Omanyo is a prominent Kenyan politician and education activist currently serving as the County Woman Representative for Busia County in the National Assembly and the New ODM Secretary General.

She was made the ODM Secretary General on Wednesday, February 11, 202,6 after the party resolved to remove Edwin Sifuna from his position, marking a major shake-up in the party leadership.

Elected in 2022, Omanyo quickly rose through the ranks of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), where she is recognized for her strategic leadership.

She was born on July 7, 1978, in Busia and raised by a single mother; her upbringing fueled a lifelong commitment to social justice.

Also Read: Edwin Sifuna Fired as ODM Secretary-General

Educational background

Community Health and the 2007 Crisis

In 2006, Omanyo launched a long-term fumigation campaign to combat jigger flea infestations, a project that continues today and has sanitized hundreds of homes.

Her work as an educator, however, faced a severe trial during the 2007–2008 Kenyan post-election crisis. Forced to close her initial venture, Imprezza Academy, Omanyo fled the violence with several teachers and thirty displaced children.

In a tragic turn of events, the lorry driver who transported them to safety was murdered by a mob on his return journey. Undeterred, Omanyo returned to Busia in 2008 to establish the International School for Champions near Matayos.

Also Read: ODM Politician Removed from Party Position

In 2009, Omanyo traveled to Teignmouth, Devon, to personally thank the British community for their support of her school.

During the visit, she famously remarked on the stark contrast in food security between the two regions, noting the absence of the malnutrition she often witnessed in Kenya.

Her commitment to education gained global prominence in 2021 when The New York Times featured her school. Columnist Peter Coy listed Omanyo’s institution as one of four top global recommendations for educational giving, alongside the Wikimedia Foundation, Khan Academy, and Children International.

Political Career and Legislative Focus

After two previous attempts, Omanyo’s political persistence paid off in 2022 when she was elected as the Busia County Woman Representative.

Throughout her career, she has been a vocal critic of gender disparity in governance, notably protesting in 2018 when President Uhuru Kenyatta proposed an all-male slate of Cabinet Secretary appointments.

In 2023, she encouraged the country to support girls who are menstruating with sanitary pads. This would have health benefits and increase their attendance at school.

In September, she announced a Ksh 10 million fund that would action a 2017 order by Kenya’s Fourth President Uhuru Kenyatta. She said that pads and not money would be distributed across the country and funds had been put aside by the Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Aisha Jumw,a to pay for them

Personal life

Omanyo is married to Daron, an American-born pastor with two children, Cindy and Sandra.

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Catherine Omanyo, the Busia County woman representative and the ODM Secretary General at Bunge Towers on September 2024. PHOTO/The Standard