Inside Odinga family: Meet Raila’s siblings who’ve not been in the spotlight
By Martin Oduor, October 16, 2025The sudden death of ODM leader, Raila Amollo Odinga, in India on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, has not only sent shockwaves across the country but also turned attention to the family behind the man who defined Kenyan politics for more than four decades.
Also Watch: The Odinga Family: A legacy of love, unity, and leadership
While Raila, his elder brother Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga, and his sister Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga are household names, many Kenyans know little about the rest of the Odinga family – a sprawling political dynasty rooted in Bondo, Siaya County.
Raila’s father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Kenya’s first Vice President and one of the architects of independence, had 17 children with four wives.
This vast family structure has made it difficult to establish a definitive count of Raila’s half-siblings, though reliable records suggest at least nine well-documented siblings from his mother’s lineage.
Raila’s mother, Mary Odhiambo Odinga, was Jaramogi’s first wife and the matriarch of nine children.
Many of her children have since passed on, but their stories form a crucial part of the Odinga legacy.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, October 16, 2025, at K’ang’o Ka Jaramogi, the family’s ancestral home and burial site, Matthew Otieno, curator of the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Mausoleum, offered rare insight into the family’s composition.
“In Mama Mary’s house, Dr. Oburu Oginga, who is the senator of Siaya, is the firstborn. Oburu is followed by Raila. Raila is followed by Omuodo Agolla Odinga,” Otieno said on Thursday, October 16, 2025.
The known siblings of Raila Odinga include:
1. Oburu Oginga
The eldest of the Odinga siblings, Oburu has been a constant figure in Kenyan politics. A former Assistant Minister and current Senator for Siaya, he has long been seen as Raila’s confidant and political adviser.
2. Raila Amollo Odinga (1945–2025)
The late ODM leader and former Prime Minister remains the family’s most prominent figure, whose political career reshaped Kenya’s democratic landscape.
3. Ngire Omuodo Agolla Odinga (1947–1983)
Omuodo was a quiet figure compared to his elder brothers. He died young, in 1983, leaving behind little public record but remembered fondly by the family as ‘the intellectual one’.
4. Dr. Wenwa Akinyi Odinga
A respected scholar and diplomat, Dr. Wenwa Akinyi served as Kenya’s Consul-General in Los Angeles. Known for her reserved demeanour, she has largely avoided the political limelight, focusing instead on academia and public service.
5. Beryl Achieng Odinga
Not much is publicly known about Beryl, who has maintained a low profile, living away from public political life.
6. Fredrick Odima Odinga (1954–1975)
Fredrick’s life was tragically short. He died in 1975, leaving behind memories of a promising young man whose potential was cut short.
7. Master Omondi Oginga (January–September 1956)
Omondi died in infancy, one of the many early family losses that marked the Odinga household.
8. Shadrack Osewe Odinga (1956–1999)
Shadrack, who passed away in 1999, lived a quiet life, far from politics. He is remembered as a gentle and kind family man.
9. Ruth Odinga
The youngest of Mary Odhiambo’s children, Ruth has followed her brothers into public service. A former Deputy Governor of Kisumu County and the current Woman Representative, she has earned a reputation as one of the most vocal and compassionate Odingas.
The quiet side of a political dynasty
For decades, the Odinga name has been synonymous with political activism, resilience, and reform. Yet, behind the political theatre lies a deeply human family – one marked by tragedy, education, and service.
As Kenya mourns Raila’s passing, the spotlight is shifting to the people who shaped his values and carried forward his father’s vision in quieter, often unrecognised ways.
At the family’s homestead in Bondo, preparations continue for Raila’s burial. Among the mourners are not only national leaders and foreign dignitaries but also the surviving Odinga siblings – the keepers of a powerful legacy that has defined Kenyan history for three generations.