I’m happy: Ida Odinga speaks after Ruto’s UNEP nomination
By William Muthama, January 25, 2026Mama Ida Betty Odinga has expressed gratitude for her nomination by President William Ruto as Kenya’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Speaking during a church service at PEFA Thika on Sunday, January 25, 2026, she thanked those who had congratulated her, saying the outpouring of support had been a source of strength and encouragement during a challenging period in her life.
“Thank you very much to those who have congratulated me on this new appointment. To me, it is an honour, and I’m happy about it. But of late, I have been going through some challenges,” she said.
The Head of State nominated her on Thursday, December 23, 2025, to replace Ababu Namwamba, who has been reassigned as Kenya’s Ambassador to Uganda. Following the nomination, she will undergo parliamentary approval before formally assuming her duties at UNEP, a role that positions her at the forefront of Kenya’s international environmental diplomacy.
Reflections on personal challenges
She explained, “Before that, every time I stood here, people would say, ‘she’s the wife of,’ but these days, I’ve been given another baptism, and that is the widow of. I still carry that name with pride.” She acknowledged the emotional weight of this period but emphasised the importance of resilience and remaining steadfast in the face of adversity.
A lifelong dedication to service
Mama Ida Odinga is widely recognised as an educationist, civic leader, and advocate for social justice and women’s empowerment.
She began her career as a teacher at Highway Secondary School and later at Kenya High School, shaping the minds of young leaders for over a decade.
She has also championed initiatives to improve the welfare of women, children, and vulnerable communities and served as the founding Chairperson of the League of Kenya Women Voters during Kenya’s transition to multiparty democracy in the early 1990s.
Beyond education and activism, she has been active in the private sector, including leadership in family businesses such as East African Spectre, a liquefied gas cylinder manufacturing company.
Her dedication to public service has earned her recognition both nationally and internationally, including Kenya’s highest civilian honour, the Elder of the Order of the Golden Heart (E.G.H.).