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Mama Ida Betty Odinga has formally accepted her nomination as Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Speaking during a dedication service at PEFA Church along Thika Road on Sunday, January 25, 2026, Canon Dr. Ida Odinga said she was deeply honoured by the appointment and expressed gratitude to those who had congratulated her.
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“I thank everyone who has reached out to congratulate me on this new role. I consider it a great honour and I am pleased to accept it,” she said.
President William Ruto nominated Mama Ida to the UNEP position under his constitutional powers, with the nomination already forwarded to Parliament for vetting and approval.
The appointment now awaits parliamentary approval, as required for all Foreign Service nominations. Once approved, Mama Ida Odinga will assume the role as Kenya strengthens its commitment to sustainable development and environmental leadership globally.
If confirmed, she will succeed Ababu Namwamba, who has been reassigned as Kenya’s Ambassador to Uganda. The nomination is part of a wider diplomatic reshuffle by President Ruto affecting several Kenyan missions abroad.
Mama Ida said she remains composed despite the intense public attention surrounding her nomination, noting that her faith gives her strength.
“Whenever I turn on the television or read the newspapers, I see they are talking about me. But I am not afraid because God is with me. I encourage anyone going through challenges to read Psalm 23,” she said.
Mama Ida Odinga is widely respected as an educationist, civic leader, and advocate for social justice and gender equality. She began her professional journey as a teacher at Highway Secondary School in Nairobi before moving to Kenya High School, where she taught for over ten years.
Her teaching career helped instill a lifelong passion for education, according to the nomination statement. She is also recognised for her long-standing dedication to public service and women’s empowerment.
She was the spouse of the late former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga, who died on October 15, 2025.
The nomination statement describes her life’s work as a reflection of selfless service, marked by courage, sacrifice, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to advancing education and empowering women.
Mama Ida has played a significant role in Kenya’s democratic journey, particularly in the early 1990s during the push for multiparty democracy. She was the founding chairperson of the League of Kenya Women Voters, through which she championed political reforms and equality.
Over the years, she has continued to advocate for the welfare of women, children, youth, and marginalised groups.
In addition to civic work, she has also been involved in the private sector, including leadership roles in family-owned enterprises such as East African Spectre, a liquefied gas cylinder manufacturing firm.
Her contributions have earned her numerous honours, including two Honorary Doctor of Letters degrees and Kenya’s top civilian award, the Elder of the Order of the Golden Heart (E.G.H.), awarded in 2018. She has also received the Trailblazer Award and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Human Achievers Foundation.
Leaders and stakeholders have congratulated Mama Ida on the nomination, hailing her as a trailblazer expected to make a significant impact in the role.
