Odinga family settles on final resting place for Raila’s sister, Beryl

The family of the late Beryl Lilian Achieng Mungwari Odinga, sister to former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, has agreed on her final resting place.

Raila Odinga Junior, a nephew of the deceased, announced that the family had convened and settled on Kang’o Ka Jaramogi in Bondo, Siaya County, as the burial site.

He said the decision was made with the guidance and approval of his uncle, Siaya Senator Dr Oburu Oginga.

“With the blessings of my uncle Dr Oburu, we sat down with Jakawuor today to choose the final resting place for my late aunt, Ms Beryl Lilian Achieng Mungwari Odinga,” Raila Jr. posted on his X account.

He added that further details regarding the funeral programme would be shared at a later date.

Beryl, a daughter of Kenya’s first Vice President Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and Mama Mary Ajuma Oginga, died on November 25, 2025, while receiving treatment at a Nairobi hospital. She was 78.

According to a family source, Beryl had battled a long illness and had been in and out of hospital in recent years.

Despite belonging to one of the country’s most consequential political families, she led a largely private life.

She was the fourth-born in the Odinga family, coming after Oburu, Raila, the late Ngire Omuodo Agola, and Dr Akinyi Wenwa. Her life, however, extended far beyond the clan’s political prominence, shaping notable professional milestones both in Kenya and Zimbabwe.

A teacher and lawyer by training, Beryl broke barriers when she became the first black Town Clerk of Mutare, Zimbabwe.

She later served as Company Secretary of the Housing Corporation of Zimbabwe, where she rebuilt her career after returning to the country as a bona fide resident.

In Kenya, she chaired the Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company (NWSC), where she had been appointed to the board in January 2020. Her leadership in public institutions earned her respect among colleagues and communities she served.

Beryl was married to the late Otieno Ambala, who briefly served as Member of Parliament for Gem before his death in 1985.

Among the family members present during deliberations was Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga, who has been actively supporting funeral arrangements.

The process has also been guided by Senator Oburu Oginga, who returned to the country on November 28, 2025, from a short sabbatical in Dubai.

The veteran politician had taken a break for rest and reflection following the emotionally demanding months after Raila’s death and the Orange Democratic Movement’s 20th-anniversary celebrations.

Upon landing, Oburu proceeded directly to the Lee Funeral Home to view his sister’s body, accompanied by party members in a sombre procession that reflected the mood within ODM.

Beryl’s funeral arrangements will be announced in the coming days.