Odinga

Odinga is a Kenyan surname associated with the Luo ethnic group and with a long-running political family in Kenya. The name is most widely linked to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, a leading nationalist who served as Kenya’s first Vice President after independence and later became a major opposition figure. His work helped shape the early post-independence political landscape.

Raila Amolo Odinga, born 1945, is a prominent Kenyan politician and son of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga. He served as Prime Minister of Kenya from 2008 to 2013 in the Grand Coalition government and has been a central figure in Kenyan politics for decades, leading the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and contesting the presidency multiple times.

Other members of the Odinga family have held public office in Kenya, and the Odinga name is often used to refer to the broader political network surrounding Raila Odinga. The surname, while strongly associated with Kenya, is also found among Luo-speaking communities in the region.