The Executive Office of the President has announced the nomination of mama Ida Odinga as Kenya’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme, a key United Nations agency headquartered in Nairobi.
The nomination was issued under Notification of Presidential Action No. III of 2026 and made in exercise of presidential prerogative.
In the official communication, Dr. Odinga is described as a distinguished educator and civic leader with a long-standing record of public service.
Her career in education began in Nairobi, where she taught at Highway Secondary School before joining Kenya High School, serving in the classroom for more than ten years.
The press release underscores her advocacy for social justice, gender equity, and education, noting that these causes have defined her public engagement over several decades.
The statement also outlines her involvement in Kenya’s democratic reform movement in the early 1990s, where she participated in calls for political change during the country’s transition to multiparty democracy.
Dr. Odinga is further acknowledged for her personal and public role alongside the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga until his death in October 2025, with the statement portraying her life’s work as centred on service, courage and inclusion.
Upon appointment, she would serve as Kenya’s top diplomatic representative to UNEP, strengthening the country’s engagement with global environmental governance.
