Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga is a respected Kenyan politician with a legacy of defending the ideals of pan Africanism. He is a long-serving leader of the opposition with exceeding influence across the world. Raila Amolo Odinga biography majors on his admirable personal life and illustrious career in politics.
Raila Odinga remains iconic for his affectionate sense of humour and effortless skill in leadership. For that reason, the history of Kenyan politics is not complete without mentioning Raila Odinga for all the good and wrong reasons alike.
Raila Amolo Odinga profiles summary
Real name: Raila Amolo Odinga
Popularly: Rao
Nickname: Baba, Agwambo, Jakom
Date of birth: January 7, 1945
Birth sign: Capricorn
Place of birth: Maseno, Nyanza
Raila Amolo Odinga age: 80 years old
Ethnicity: Luo tribe
County: Siaya County, Kenya
Occupation: Engineer, politician
Raila Amolo Odinga wife: Ida Anyango Oyoo
Years active: 1970 to date
Religion: Christian
Relationship status: Married
Raila Amolo Odinga is famous for serving as a Prime Minister of Kenya between 2007 and 2013.
ODM Leader Raila Amolo Odinga biography
Raila remains a bigwig in the African continent, especially, in Eastern Africa.
He is not only a fighter but also a visionary leader and a proud family man.
How old is Raila Odinga?
Born on January 7, 1945, Raila Odinga age is 80 years as of 2025.
His birthday often attracts showers of well wishes and gifts not forgetting a huge cake.
Where was Raila born? Former PM Raila Amolo Odinga from Bondo in Siaya County was born at the Anglican Church Missionary Society Hospital within Maseno, Kisumu County.
Is Raila Odinga a Christian? Yes, the former PM was raised as an Anglican of the Church Missionary Society.
Later on, Raila denounced his childhood faith to become a Christian.
Concerning religion, Raila Odinga is a baptised member of the Nairobi based All Saints’ Cathedral Church.
Raila Odinga family background
Raila Odinga comes from a polygamous Odinga family of four children and 17 children.
The charming Rosemary Odinga is a determined entrepreneur and reportedly the only snail farmer in the larger East Africa.
In addition, she is an advocate of social equality and alternative agriculture in Kenya.
Now in her mid-40s, Rosemary is a Sociology graduate from Howard University and an MBA in marketing holder from the University of Dallas.
3. Raila Odinga Junior – a businessman
The outspoken Raila Junior is a fast-rising businessman under the Odinga Empire.
He started as an accountant with a little pay of Ksh 10,000 a month but is way far from what he earns today.
On matters of education; Raila Junior graduated from the University of Wales in 2002 with a Hon’s Degree in Business Administration.
He later graduated from the University of Leeds with qualifications in MSc Finance.
Born in 1979, Raila Jr age is 46 years as of 2025. In addition, he is the most likely successor of the long-held Odinga political mantle.
4. Winnie Odinga – Business lady
Raila preferred his lastborn daughter after anti-apartheid activist Winnie Mandela of South Africa.
Born in 1990, Winnie Odinga is only 35 years old as of 2025. She is a University of Philadelphia alumnae with a degree in International Business and Corporate Communication.
Education and career
Where did Raila go to school? Raila started his formal education in the 1950s at Kisumu Union Primary School.
He later transferred to Maranda Primary before joining Maranda High School and completing secondary studies in 1962.
Then came a scholarship to German for a course in Philology – language in both oral and written historical forms. He would switch to Engineering upon completion.
In 1970, Raila graduated with a Master of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering and Welding returning to Kenya within the same year.
In 1971, Raila founded the Standard Processing Equipment Construction & Erection Limited dealing with Liquid petroleum gas cylinders.
Soon after, he renamed the company to EastAfricanSpectre. Raila Odinga LinkedIn profile recognizes him as CEO of this 50-year-old firm.
Meanwhile, Raila lectured at the University of Nairobi in the Department of Engineering. It is about this time that he met and married his sweetheart Ida.
Raila Odinga history in politics
Raila entered into politics after the footsteps of his father Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.
For the record, Jaramogi had differed with Jomo Kenyatta and resigned from the office of vice president in 1966.
Daniel Arap Moi succeed Jaramogi in 1967 and eventually became president in 1978 following the death of Jomo Kenyatta.
Moi’s dictatorial Regime further stayed at a stand-off with the defiant Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and his allies.
The failed 1982 Coup D’etat left Raila Amolo Odinga and his father Jaramogi locking horns with President Moi.
As a result, Raila suffered three consecutive and torturous detentions amid heated struggles for multi-party democracy.
Towards the 90s, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga became head of the Forum for the Restoration of Democracy (FORD).
Initial differences left FORD breaking into FORD Kenya led by Jaramogi Oginga and FORD Asili led by Kenneth Matiba.
In 1992, Raila succeeded Philip Leakey as a Member of Parliament in Langata Constituency.
A controversial party leader selection exercise saw Raila resigning from FORD Kenya and joining the National Development Party (NDP).
ODM leader Raila Odinga is one of the richest Kenyan politicians who rarely displays their massive wealth.
A chase for wealth and fame that started in 1970 is now at its advanced stages.
1. East African Spectre
A fresh graduate Raila with a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering left Germany for Kenya in 1970.
A year later, he incorporated the Standard Processing Equipment Construction and Erection Limited.
The company rose to become a multi-million dealer in liquid petroleum gas cylinders. Before long, Raila renamed it East African Spectre.
2. Kisumu Molasses Factory
The continually loss-making Kenya Chemical & Food Corporation Ltd of 1977 was placed on auction in 1996.
The auction favoured Raila’s Spectre International Ltd in 2001 at a staggering Ksh. 120 million.
The high-value acquisition saw KCFC rebranding to Kisumu Molasses Factory.
Unconfirmed sources indicate that the factory was sold to an Asian investor, Jaswat Rai, in 2019.
For the record, KCFC is to date the most costly government industrial failure in Kenya since independence.
3. Pan African Petroleum Ltd.
Raila family-owned Pan African Petroleum Industrial Services Limited from 2005 is a multi-million oil and gas depot.
PAPIS is a key player in the provision of petroleum energy solutions to millions of Kenyans.
4. Owning more than 2,000 acres of land
The powerful Jaramogi Oginga Odinga earned much respect from his tribesmen through beneficial initiatives.
Among these are the Luo Thrift and Trading Corporation of 1947. The pre-colonial group sought to strengthen Luo unity in the larger East Africa.
The resulting glory earned Jaramogi Oginga Odinga large pieces of land including 932 acres and 401 acres within Nyanza province.
The Jaramogi family is also a fair share landowner in most parts of the country among them a 5-acre real estate property in Embakasi. It all adds to more than 2,000 acres.
5. Palatial homes and first-class choppers
Raila owns stately homes in Siaya, Karen, Runda, and Mombasa. All these cribs are costly with the one at his ancestral home estimated at Ksh 1 billion.
A fleet of choppers adds to the long list of Raila’s possessions. Some wiki sources estimate his favourite airbus helicopter at Ksh 204 million.
Overall, Raila Odinga’s net worth is over 50 billion as of 2025.
Raila Amolo Odinga contacts
Website
rao.co.ke
Instagram
@odingaraila
Facebook
@RailaOdingaKE
Twitter
@RailaOdinga
Former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga biographyoffers a blueprint of his personal life and uphill political career. Above all, the greatest of his achievements is the 2010 Constitution of Kenya.
I explore diverse topics with clarity to keep you informed, visible, and profitable. Besides, I am a website developer, ICT consultant, and graduate mechatronics engineer from Dedan Kimathi University. Lets meet on WhatsApp.
