The Late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga's sister, Beryl Achieng Odinga, is dead.
Achieng, passed away on Tuesday, November 25, at a Nairobi hospital where she had been admitted receiving treatment.
A family source has revealed to Julisha.co.ke that that Beryl had been sick for a long time and had been in and out of the hospital. She had also been admitted at the Indian facility where former Prime Minister Raila Odinga had been admitted.
Confirming the news, Ruth Odinga said the family was devastated by the loss. “It is with a heavy heart, but accepting the will of God, that we announce the sudden passing of Beryl Achieng Odinga,” she said.
Ruth described Beryl as a devoted mother and a pillar within the family saying “Beryl was a loving mother to Ami Auma, Chizi and Taure. She was sister to Senator Oburu Oginga, Rt Hon Raila Odinga, Akinyi Wenwa and myself, among others.”
She also acknowledged the extended family who shared in the grief, noting: “She was sister-in-law to Dr Anne Oburu, Dr Canon Ida Odinga, Hon Tabu Osewe and Judy Oburu.”
Ruth said the family was taking comfort in faith despite the deep sorrow.
“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. We are thankful for the invaluable gift of the time we were privileged to share with her and for the profound impact she had on all who knew her.” she said.
Beryl Achieng Odinga, was the younger sister of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
A distinguished professional and trailblazer, Beryl’s life spanned continents and careers, leaving an indelible mark in both Kenya and Zimbabwe.
Beryl completed her Form Six (‘A’ Levels) studies in December 1972 and went on to pursue a career in teaching and law.
She made history as the first black Town Clerk of Mutare, Zimbabwe’s third-largest city, where she played a pivotal role in post-independence urban development.
After returning to Zimbabwe as a bona fide resident, she continued to rebuild her life and career, later serving as Company Secretary at the Housing Corporation of Zimbabwe.
In 2020, she was appointed by former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko to the board of the Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company.
During a birthday celebration for Oburu Odinga in October 2023, Beryl shared that she had been classmates with prominent Kenyan leaders, including former Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o.
Beryl married Otieno Ambala in 1974, an aspiring legislator who later passed away from a heart attack in 1985 while at Kodiaga Prison.
Raila’s 2014 biography, The Flame of Freedom, recounts how Beryl endured an abusive marriage, which eventually led her to flee Kenya in the 1980s with her children.
Seeking refuge in Zimbabwe, she was granted asylum and began working with the Ministry of Local Government, where she helped shape urban planning policy in the newly independent nation.
Her most notable contributions include designing the Chitungwiza Town planning policy, later implemented during her tenure as Town Planning Director at Chitungwiza Town Council (CTC).
Beryl’s work modernised the town’s urban framework, curbing informal peri-urban settlements and influencing the structure of the city for decades.
She has maintained a relatively low public profile compared to some of her siblings, preferring not to engage in active politics.
Despite her family’s political prominence, she has charted a relatively private path while contributing to public service in Kenya and beyond.
