President William Ruto has nominated Ida Odinga, widow of the late opposition icon Raila Odinga, as Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in a move that blurs the line between diplomacy and domestic politics.
In a statement accompanying the nomination, the government said on Friday she is expected to undergo parliamentary vetting “in accordance with the law,” after which she would replace Ababu Namwamba, who has been redeployed as Kenya’s ambassador to Uganda.
If approved, Ida Odinga would represent Kenya at UNEP’s Nairobi headquarters, a posting that combines environmental diplomacy with significant political symbolism.
The nomination comes amid President Ruto’s sustained rapprochement with the Odinga family following Raila’s death last year. Since then, the administration has increasingly drawn members of the Odinga political circle into government.
Earlier, Raila’s step-sister, Akinyi Walkowa Odinga, was appointed Deputy Head of Mission at Kenya’s consulate in Los Angeles, signalling what insiders describe as a deliberate effort to consolidate the post-Raila political détente.
Supporters of the nomination argue that Ida Odinga’s public profile and long engagement in social causes make her a credible envoy.
Critics, however, see the appointment as another example of Nairobi’s long tradition of using diplomatic postings to manage domestic political alliances.
