BONDO, Kenya — The family of the late Beryl Lilian Achieng Mungwari Odinga, sister to former Prime Minister, the late Raila Odinga, has agreed that she will be laid to rest at Kang’o Ka Jaramogi in Bondo, Siaya County.
The decision was reached during a closed-door family meeting held on Sunday, bringing clarity to burial plans following her passing on November 25.
Raila Odinga Junior, her nephew, announced the burial site after consultations led by Siaya Senator Dr. Oburu Oginga, the family patriarch.
“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. wrote on X, noting that the funeral programme will be communicated once finalised.
Beryl, 78, was the daughter of Kenya’s first Vice President, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, and Mama Mary Ajuma Oginga. She died while undergoing treatment at a Nairobi hospital after a long battle with illness.
Although born into one of Kenya’s most prominent political families, she maintained a notably private life anchored in professional accomplishment rather than public politics.
A teacher and lawyer by training, Beryl built a trailblazing career both in Kenya and Zimbabwe. She made history as the first black Town Clerk of Mutare, later rising to become the Company Secretary of the Housing Corporation of Zimbabwe.
Those close to her describe her as determined, meticulous, and deeply committed to public service.
Upon returning to Kenya, she served as chairperson of the Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company (NWSC), having been appointed to the board in 2020. Her tenure was marked by institutional reforms and strengthened corporate governance, earning her respect across the water and sanitation sector.
Beryl was married to the late Otieno Ambala, who briefly served as Member of Parliament for Gem before his death in 1985.
Sunday’s meeting was attended by several Odinga family members, including Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga, who has played a central role in coordinating funeral preparations.
The process is being guided by Senator Oburu Oginga, who returned to the country on November 28 from a short sabbatical in Dubai. The seasoned politician had taken time off following what close allies described as emotionally strenuous months after Raila Odinga’s death and the Orange Democratic Movement’s (ODM) 20th-anniversary events.
Upon arrival, Oburu went straight to Lee Funeral Home to view his sister’s body in a sombre visit marked by party officials and family supporters. The mood across ODM remains subdued, coming just months after the death of Raila, who for decades defined the party’s political identity.
