Details of Ida Odinga’s Job at UNEP

Canon Dr Ida Betty Odinga is set to take up one of Kenya’s most strategic diplomatic positions as the country’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme, subject to parliamentary approval.

President William Ruto nominated the widow of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga for the high-profile role on January 23 through Presidential Action No. III of 2026. The nomination, transmitted to the National Assembly by Chief of Staff Felix Koskei, positions her at the centre of Kenya’s global environmental diplomacy.

If approved by Parliament, Mama Ida will head Kenya’s mission to the United Nations and lead the country’s participation in high-level negotiations on environmental conventions and multilateral environmental agreements.

The position places her at the heart of global climate diplomacy, a critical portfolio given Kenya’s leadership role in green energy and sustainable development initiatives.

As the permanent representative, she will be responsible for Kenya’s engagement with the UNEP Governing Council and the United Nations Environmental Assembly, the world’s highest decision-making body on environmental issues. The Assembly, which convenes every two years, brings together ministers of environment and other representatives from all 193 UN member states to set the global environmental agenda and promote coherent implementation of environmental policies.

A key aspect of the role involves oversight of the Committee of Permanent Representatives, an intersessional subsidiary body that regularly reviews the implementation of UN Environment Assembly outcomes, guides the development of UNEP’s programme of work and budget, and provides oversight of the secretariat’s activities. This committee meets quarterly and comprises accredited representatives from all UN member states.

Since Kenya hosts the UN headquarters in Nairobi, the position also carries host-country obligations. Mama Ida will serve as a crucial bridge between the UN and the Kenyan government, facilitating diplomatic relations and ensuring smooth operations for the international body on Kenyan soil. The office is responsible for promoting Nairobi as the UN’s Global South headquarters by lobbying for the expansion of UN agencies in the city and securing more international conferences and programmes.

According to UN protocols, permanent representatives are ambassadors appointed by their state or government to represent the country at UN headquarters. They head the permanent mission of their country, typically supported by a deputy permanent representative and specialized staff who work on various UN committees including those dealing with political affairs, finance, and administrative matters.

The appointee will replace Ababu Namwamba, who was recently reassigned to serve as High Commissioner to Uganda. The diplomatic posting keeps Mama Ida in Nairobi’s Gigiri area, where UNEP is headquartered, maintaining her visibility and accessibility within Kenya’s political landscape.

The 75-year-old brings decades of experience in education, civic leadership, and advocacy for social justice and gender equity to the role. Born Ida Anyango Oyoo on August 24, 1950, in Migori County, she is the daughter of Nehemiah Oyoo, a medical assistant at Nyanza Hospital in Kisumu, and Rosa Oyoo, who was among Kenya’s first black nurses.

Her father passed away when she was only seven years old, leaving her mother to raise six children in difficult circumstances. Despite the hardship, Mama Ida excelled academically, attending Ogande Girls High School before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Nairobi in 1973.

She began her professional career as a teacher at Highway Secondary School in Nairobi before joining Kenya High School, where she spent over two decades shaping the minds of future leaders. Among her notable students was the late Joyce Laboso, who became Governor of Bomet County. However, her teaching career was cut short when the Kenya African National Union government expelled her from her position due to her husband’s political opposition to President Daniel arap Moi’s regime.

The expulsion proved to be a turning point. In 1991, she founded the League of Kenya Women Voters, an organization dedicated to promoting opportunities for women in the political arena. She served as national chairperson until the early 2000s, championing women’s rights during a period when political activism was fraught with danger.

In 2003, Mama Ida took on the role of managing director at East African Spectre, a family-owned liquefied gas cylinder manufacturing company. This appointment made her one of the first women to head a major Kenyan corporation, a feat that earned her recognition as one of Kenya’s most powerful women by The Standard newspaper in 2010.

Her advocacy work spans multiple causes, with particular focus on women’s health and education. She has been a leading voice in breast cancer and fistula awareness campaigns, and in 2009 was nominated as Ambassador for Freedom from Fistula. She has also championed programmes to eradicate the chigoe flea, mentored schoolgirls, and served on the board of the Kenya Paraplegic Association.

Speaking publicly about her nomination for the first time during a dedication ceremony at Pentecostal Evangelistic Fellowship of Africa Church in Roysambu on January 25, Mama Ida expressed gratitude and resilience. “Thank you to those who have congratulated me. To me, this is an honour. No one will intimidate me. No one will frighten me because the Lord is my shepherd,” she said, citing Psalms 23.

Her remarks came amid criticism from some opposition leaders who questioned the appointment. ODM deputy party leader and Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi argued that the UNEP position was “too small” for her stature, urging her to reject the offer. Similarly, Democracy for Citizens Party deputy leader Cleophas Malala described the nomination as a “misplaced priority,” suggesting that ordinary women needed more direct support.

However, Mama Ida remained undeterred. “These days, every time I switch on the TV, I see they are talking about me. Every time I buy the newspaper, it’s ‘Ida Odinga.’ But I don’t fear anything; God is with me,” she told congregants at the church service.

In his nomination statement, President Ruto described Mama Ida as a distinguished educationist, pro-democracy champion, and advocate for gender equity. “Her life’s work stands as testament to the highest ideals of selfless service, defined by courage, sacrifice, grace under fire and an unceasing commitment to advancing women’s education and empowerment,” the statement from Koskei’s office read.

The President added that her appointment is expected to amplify Kenya’s voice on environmental issues and reinforce the country’s longstanding leadership in environmental diplomacy. Kenya’s role as host to UNEP, the UN’s principal environmental authority, makes the position particularly significant for the country’s international standing and influence on global climate policy.

The nomination comes at a pivotal moment for Kenya’s environmental agenda. The country has been positioning itself as a leader in climate action, renewable energy, and sustainable development in Africa. Kenya hosted the UN Environment Assembly’s fifth session in 2022 and has been instrumental in pushing for ambitious global commitments on plastic pollution, biodiversity conservation, and climate financing.

Political analysts view the appointment as strategically significant, potentially serving multiple purposes beyond environmental diplomacy. Some see it as part of a broader political realignment that honours the legacy of Raila Odinga while neutralizing traditional opposition strongholds in Luo Nyanza. Others interpret it as recognition of Mama Ida’s own substantial contributions to public service, independent of her late husband’s political career.

The appointment marks a new chapter for Mama Ida, who lost her husband in October 2025. Throughout their 52-year marriage, she stood by Raila through political detention, exile, and numerous election battles. She raised their four children largely alone during his imprisonment by the Moi government in 1982, managing on her teacher’s salary while living on the Kenya High School campus before her own expulsion.

The couple had four children: the late Fidel Castro Odinga, who died in 2015; Winnie Irmgard Odinga; Rosemary Akeyo Odinga; and Raila Junior. Their family life was marked by both tragedy and triumph, with Mama Ida suffering two miscarriages and a stillbirth before successfully expanding their family.

Her transition from the chaotic arena of opposition politics to the diplomatic corridors of the United Nations represents a significant shift in her public role. If confirmed by Parliament, she will trade campaign rallies and political protests for international negotiations and global environmental summits, bringing her decades of advocacy experience to bear on critical issues affecting Kenya and the world.

The vetting process is expected to move swiftly through the National Assembly, with the appointment requiring parliamentary approval under constitutional requirements governing appointments to the Foreign Service. Once confirmed, Mama Ida will present her credentials to the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi, officially assuming her duties as Kenya’s voice on global environmental matters.

Her appointment also brings personal significance beyond politics and diplomacy. As a Canon at the Anglican Church of Kenya, she has long been involved in faith-based community work, adding another dimension to her public service portfolio. This spiritual foundation appears to be sustaining her through the transition from political widow to global diplomat, as evidenced by her repeated scriptural references when addressing critics.

For Kenya, the nomination of Mama Ida Odinga to this crucial environmental post signals continuity in the country’s commitment to climate action while potentially opening new avenues for diplomatic engagement. Her lived experience of sacrifice, resilience, and advocacy for marginalized communities could bring fresh perspectives to global environmental discussions, particularly on issues affecting developing nations.

As she prepares to step into this new role, pending parliamentary approval, Mama Ida carries with her not just the weight of her late husband’s political legacy, but her own substantial record of service, activism, and leadership spanning more than five decades. Her journey from a teacher’s classroom to the global stage of environmental diplomacy embodies both personal triumph and Kenya’s evolving place in international affairs.