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 chosen Kang’o Ka Jaramogi in Bondo, Siaya County, as the burial site.
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 will be shared at a later date.
Beryl, a daughter of Kenya’s first Vice President Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and Mama Mary Ajuma Oginga, passed away on November 25, 2025, at a Nairobi hospital. She was 78 years old. According to family sources, she had battled a long illness and had been in and out of hospital in recent years.
Despite belonging to one of Kenya’s most influential political families, Beryl led a largely private life. She was the fourth-born in the Odinga family, following Oburu, Raila, the late Ngire Omuodo Agola, and Dr Akinyi Wenwa.
Her life, however, extended far beyond the family’s political prominence, achieving notable professional milestones both in Kenya and Zimbabwe.
Trained as a teacher and lawyer, Beryl broke barriers when she became the first black Town Clerk of Mutare, Zimbabwe.
She later served as Company Secretary at the Housing Corporation of Zimbabwe, rebuilding her career after returning to the country as a bona fide resident.
In Kenya, she chaired the Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company, having been appointed to the board in January 2020. Her leadership in public institutions earned her respect among colleagues and the 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 the funeral arrangements. S
enator Oburu Oginga, who returned from a short sabbatical in Dubai on November 28, 2025, also guided the process.
Upon landing, he 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.
