Ruto nominates Ida Odinga as an ambassador, forwards name to Parliament

President William Ruto has nominated Canon Dr. Ida Betty Odinga for appointment as Kenya’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), strengthening the country’s diplomatic engagement on global environmental issues.

In a press release issued by the Executive Office of the President on Friday, January 23, 2026, the nomination was made through Presidential Action No. III of 2026 and has been formally transmitted to the National Assembly for parliamentary approval, as required by the Constitution.

If approved, Dr. Odinga will represent Kenya at UNEP, whose headquarters are based in Nairobi, reinforcing the country’s longstanding role as host and a leading voice in international environmental diplomacy.

Dr. Odinga is a veteran educationist, civic leader, and long-time advocate for social justice and gender equity. She began her professional career as a teacher at Highway Secondary School in Nairobi before later serving at Kenya High School, where she spent more than a decade mentoring students and shaping future leaders.

Beyond education, she has played a prominent role in Kenya’s civic and democratic movements.

In the early 1990s, during the country’s transition from a single-party system to multiparty democracy, she was a key voice in calls for reform and served as the founding chairperson of the League of Kenya Women Voters.

Since then, she has consistently championed initiatives aimed at improving the lives of women, children, youth, and other vulnerable groups.

Dr. Odinga has also been involved in the private sector, contributing leadership to family-owned enterprises, including East African Spectre, a liquefied gas cylinder manufacturing firm that operates within Kenya’s energy sector.

Her influence extends beyond Kenya’s borders, where she is widely regarded as an articulate advocate for Africa’s development and global engagement.

In recognition of her service, she has received several national and international honours.

In 2018, she was awarded Kenya’s highest civilian honour, the Elder of the Order of the Golden Heart (E.G.H.). She also holds two honorary Doctor of Letters degrees and has received awards, including the Trailblazer Award and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Human Achievers Foundation.

Dr. Odinga is the widow of former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga, who died in October 2025.

According to the Executive Office of the President, her appointment is expected to amplify Kenya’s voice on environmental matters globally and further strengthen the country’s leadership role within UNEP.

The nomination was signed by Chief of Staff and Head of the Public Service Felix Koskei and will now be subjected to vetting and approval by Parliament before confirmation.