President William Ruto has nominated Canon Dr. Ida Betty Odinga, EGH, for appointment as Kenya’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in a move that places a veteran educationist and long-time civic leader at the centre of global environmental diplomacy.
In a Notification of Presidential Action No. III of 2026, issued by the Executive Office of the President, the Head of State exercised his constitutional prerogative to nominate Dr. Odinga to represent the Republic of Kenya at UNEP, which is headquartered in Nairobi.
The nomination positions Dr. Odinga as a key diplomatic figure in advancing Kenya’s environmental, climate, and sustainable development priorities on the international stage.
Dr. Ida Odinga is widely respected for her decades-long contribution to education, gender equity, and civic leadership. She began her professional career as a graduate teacher at Highway Secondary School in Nairobi, before later serving at Kenya High School, where she spent over a decade in the classroom, mentoring and shaping generations of young leaders.
Beyond education, Dr. Odinga has been a consistent voice for social justice, democratic governance, and women’s empowerment, earning national and international recognition for her advocacy work.
A historic civic and political legacy
In the early 1990s, at the height of Kenya’s struggle to transition from a single-party state to a multiparty democracy, Dr. Odinga played a pivotal role in the push for democratic reforms. She was among the leading figures advocating for political pluralism, civil liberties, and constitutional change during a defining period in the country’s history.
Her civic engagement placed her at the forefront of reformist movements that helped shape Kenya’s democratic space.
Dr. Odinga is the widow of former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga, CGH, who passed away on October 15, 2025. Throughout her life, she has been widely acknowledged for her courage, resilience, and unwavering commitment to public service, even under intense political pressure.
Her work has consistently emphasized education as a foundation for inclusive national development, while championing freedom of expression, gender equality, and resistance to authoritarianism.
The nomination is expected to proceed through the required vetting and approval processes in line with Kenyan law before Dr. Odinga can formally assume office.
If approved, her appointment would further cement Kenya’s role as a global environmental diplomacy hub, leveraging UNEP’s Nairobi headquarters while drawing on Dr. Odinga’s deep experience in leadership, governance, and international advocacy.
