Dr Oburu Odinga, the eldest son of Kenya’s first Vice President, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, and the elder brother of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, has spent more than five decades in public service and politics.
Born on October 15, 1943, in Bondo, Siaya County, Oburu followed an academic and political path that would see him rise from an economist in government to one of Kenya’s longest-serving politicians.
He studied economics at the People’s Friendship University in Moscow, Soviet Union, where he earned a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and PhD by 1970.
Oburu began his political career as a councillor in Kisumu Municipality in 1974 before joining the Ministry of Planning and National Development, where he worked as an economist between 1981 and 1994.
In 1994, he entered Parliament after winning the Bondo Constituency seat, a position he held until 2013.
During the Grand Coalition Government, Oburu served as an Assistant Minister for Finance between 2008 and 2013, giving him a role in the management of the country’s public finances during a period of major economic and political reforms.
After leaving the elected National Assembly seat in 2013, he served as a nominated MP until 2017. He then moved to the regional level, serving as a member of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) from 2017 to 2022.
In the 2022 elections, Oburu returned to elected politics as the Senator for Siaya County.
His political standing within the Odinga family and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) grew following the death of his younger brother, Raila Odinga, in 2025.
Oburu subsequently took over the leadership of ODM, placing him at the centre of the political party founded and built around Raila’s decades-long political career.
The transition marked a new chapter for the Odinga political dynasty, with Oburu assuming the responsibility of steering the party after the death of its long-time leader.
In recent months, attention has shifted to Oburu’s health.
He was reportedly taken abroad for medical treatment after developing complications following the widely reported “cake” incident.
Upon returning to Kenya, his health reportedly deteriorated, prompting his family to have him admitted to a hospital in Nairobi.
His medical condition has since drawn public attention as the veteran politician remains a key figure in ODM and Siaya politics.
