Kenya Mourns a Quiet Pillar of the Odinga Family
Kenya woke up to heartbreaking news on Tuesday morning: Beryl Akinyi Odinga, the younger sister of opposition leader and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, has passed away at the age of 71.The family confirmed that Beryl Odinga died on Monday, November 24, 2025, at a Nairobi hospital after a short illness. Although the exact cause of death has not been officially disclosed, close family sources indicated she had been battling health complications in recent weeks.
Who Was Beryl Odinga?Born in 1954, Beryl Akinyi Odinga was the daughter of the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Kenya’s first Vice President, and Mama Mary Jaramogi. She was one of the lesser-known but deeply respected members of Kenya’s most prominent political family.Unlike her famous brothers — Raila Odinga, Oburu Odinga, and the late Fidel Odinga — Beryl deliberately stayed away from the public limelight. Friends and family describe her as the quiet, prayerful anchor who held the Odinga family together during some of its most turbulent moments, including the 1982 attempted coup aftermath, the dark years of detention without trial, the 2007-2008 post-election violence, and the painful losses of siblings Fidel (2015) and Wenwa (2002).“She was the one we all ran to when everything felt like it was falling apart,” a close family friend told journalists outside the Odinga home in Karen. “Mama Beryl, as many of us called her, never sought cameras or headlines. Her strength was in prayer and in loving people unconditionally.”A Life of Service and FaithBeryl was a devout Seventh-day Adventist and spent much of her life involved in church and community work. She was particularly passionate about education and women’s empowerment in rural Nyanza. Those who knew her say she quietly funded dozens of bright but needy students through school and university, often without ever revealing her identity.Even during Raila Odinga’s multiple presidential campaigns (2007, 2013, 2017, 2022), Beryl remained a behind-the-scenes prayer warrior. Family members recall her organizing overnight keshas (prayer vigils) whenever her brother faced political persecution or life-threatening situations.
Tributes Pour In from Across KenyaNews of her passing spread rapidly on social media, with the hashtags #BerylOdinga, #RIPBerylOdinga, and #RailasSister trending within hours.President William Ruto sent his condolences, describing her as “a woman of grace who served her family and community with humility.”
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta called her “the silent strength behind one of Kenya’s greatest families.”
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Narc-Kenya’s Martha Karua, and dozens of governors and senators from both Azimio and Kenya Kwanza coalitions issued statements of mourning.On X (formerly Twitter), ordinary Kenyans shared personal stories:- “I was one of the students Beryl Odinga sponsored anonymously at Maseno University in the 1990s. I only learned it was her after I graduated. May God rest her soul.” –
@OtienoKisumu
- “Whenever Baba was in detention, it was Auntie Beryl who brought food and encouragement to us children. She was our second mother.” –
@RosemaryOburu
(niece)
Raila Odinga’s Heartfelt StatementThe Odinga family released a brief but emotional statement signed by Raila himself:“It is with deep sorrow that we announce the promotion to glory of our beloved sister, Beryl Akinyi Odinga. She fought a good fight, she kept the faith, and now she rests in the arms of the Lord. We request privacy as we mourn and celebrate a life well lived.”Raila, who is currently in South Africa heading the African Union Commission election observation mission for the Botswana elections, immediately cancelled the rest of his trip and is expected back in Nairobi on Wednesday morning.Funeral ArrangementsThe family has announced that Beryl Odinga’s body will lie in state at her Karen home for close family and friends on Thursday and Friday. A public memorial service is planned for Saturday, November 29, 2025, at the SDA Central Church in Nairobi, followed by burial at the family’s ancestral home in Bondo, Siaya County, on Sunday, November 30, 2025.A Family in Mourning — Again
This is the latest in a series of painful losses for the Odinga family. In the last two decades, they have buried Fidel Odinga (2015), Wenwa Odinga (2002), and now Beryl. Yet those close to the family say the Odingas draw strength from their deep Christian faith and the love of millions of Kenyans.As one elderly neighbor in Karen told reporters: “The Odingas have given Kenya everything — their blood, their tears, their freedom. Today, Kenya must stand with them in prayer.”Rest in eternal peace, Beryl Akinyi Odinga (1954–2025). You may have shunned the spotlight, but your light touched countless lives.
MAY BERYL ODINGA REST IN PEACE.
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