Beryl Achieng Odinga, sister to the late Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga, died on 25 November 2025 in Nairobi West Hospital after a prolonged illness, the family has announced. She was 78 years old.
“It is with a heavy heart, but accepting the will of God, that we announce the sudden passing of Beryl Achieng Odinga,” her sister Ruth Odinga said in a statement. “While we are deeply saddened by her demise and the immense void left in our lives, we take solace in the belief that she is safe in the Lord’s arms.”
A family source indicated that Beryl had been in and out of hospital for some time and had recently been treated at the same Indian-owned facility in Nairobi where her brother Raila was admitted earlier this year for surgery. The family expressed gratitude for the time they shared with her and the profound impact she had on those who knew her.
Beryl Achieng was the daughter of Kenya founding Vice President Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and his wife Mary Ajuma. She is survived by three children – Ami Auma, Chizi and Taurai – and leaves behind siblings including Senator Oburu Oginga, Akinyi Wenwa and Ruth Odinga, among others. She was also sister-in-law to Dr Anne Oburu, Dr Canon Ida Odinga, Hon Tabu Osewe and Judy Oburu.
Family background and tributes
Unlike many members of Kenya most famous political family, Beryl kept a deliberately low profile and never sought elected office. Yet she carved out a distinguished career in public administration and law. Ruth Odinga paid tribute to her sister as a loving mother and a pillar within the family, thanking God for the invaluable gift of the time they were privileged to share with her and for the profound impact she had on all who knew her.
Her death comes just over a month after the Odinga family mourned the passing of Raila Odinga, who died on 15 October 2025 at the age of 80 in Koothattukulam, Kerala, India. This follows the earlier loss of another sibling, Ngire Omuodo Agola, who passed away in 1983 at the age of 36. These successive bereavements serve as a poignant reminder of the toll that decades in the public eye have taken on one of Kenya most prominent clans.
Friends and former colleagues described her as soft-spoken but firm, a meticulous professional who preferred results to headlines. During a family gathering in October 2023 to celebrate Oburu birthday, Beryl shared light-hearted anecdotes about her life, highlighting her close ties with prominent figures in Kenyan politics and academia.
Education and career highlights
Beryl completed her Form Six studies in December 1972 and was the only sibling to attend both school and university entirely in Kenya. She fondly recalled during family events that several notable individuals, including Ida Odinga, were her former university classmates. Siaya Governor James Orengo served as one of her teachers, while Kisumu Governor Professor Anyang’ Nyong’o was a colleague from her university days. Additionally, Wiper Patriotic Front Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka was her classmate.
As a trained teacher and lawyer, Beryl made history in the 1980s as the first Black Town Clerk of Mutare, Zimbabwe third-largest city, at a time when few African women held such senior municipal roles. After returning to Zimbabwe as a bona fide resident, she rebuilt her life and career, later serving as Company Secretary of the Housing Corporation of Zimbabwe. Back home in Kenya, she rose through the ranks of the civil service and in January 2020 was appointed chairperson of the Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company, a position she held until her health began to decline.
Beryl credited her brother Oburu with influencing her career path. While their father Jaramogi was passionate about mathematics, Oburu encouraged her to pursue law despite her initial struggles with the subject, reassuring her that arts subjects were equally valuable.
Personal life
Beryl Achieng Odinga was married to Otieno Ambala, who briefly served as Gem MP before his death in 1985. The couple had two children initially, Ami Auma and Chizi, though family records confirm three in total including Taurai. Their marriage, however, faced challenges and eventually fell apart due to ongoing domestic issues, as recounted in Raila 2014 biography, The Flame of Freedom.
Despite these personal trials, Beryl maintained a private path, contributing to public service in Kenya and beyond while steering clear of the political spotlight that defined much of her family legacy.
Funeral arrangements will be announced later, the family said.
