Ruth Odinga
{{Short description|Kenyan politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Ruth Busia Adhiambo Odinga
| office = Kisumu County Women Representative
| assembly = Kenya National Assembly
| country = Kenya
| parliamentarygroup = 13th Parliament of Kenya
| president = William Ruto
| termstart = August 2022
| title = Honorable
| citizenship = Kenyan
| nationality = Kenya
| otherparty = Orange Democratic Movement
| relations = Raila Odinga, Oburu Odinga, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga
| alma_mater = University of Oslo
| occupation = Politician
| nickname = Raila's Sister
}}
Ruth Busia Adhiambo Odinga is a Kenyan politician and the women's representative for Kisumu County in the National Assembly.{{Cite web |last=myleader.co.ke |title=Ruth Odinga - Women representative |url=https://myleader.co.ke/kisumu-county-women-rep/3148-ruth-odinga-women-representative |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=My Leader Kenya (MLK) |language=en}} She is a member of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). She is the daughter to Jaramogi Odinga, the first vice president of Kenya, and the sister of both former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Oburu Odinga, the serving Senator for Siaya County.{{cite web | first=Rushdie | last=Oudia | title=With two seats in, a presidential win will crown Odinga dynasty trophies | website=Nation| date=August 12, 2022 | url=https://nation.africa/kenya/counties/siaya/with-two-seats-in-a-presidential-win-will-crown-odinga-dynasty-trophies-3912540 | access-date=2023-11-21 }}{{cite web | title=Joy and tears among relatives | website=The Nation | date=March 7, 2013 | url=https://nation.africa/kenya/news/politics/joy-and-tears-among-relatives--850512 | access-date=2023-11-21}}
Education
Ruth Odinga is a politician born into a Kenyan political dynasty,. She attended Xaverian Primary School, Kisumu where she obtained her East African Certificate of Primary Education (EACPE) in 1973. She obtained her East African Advanced Certificate of Education (EAACE) from The Kenya High school in 1981. In 1983 she attended the Mutare Girls High School, Zimbabwe, where she gained her A Levels. She obtained a degree in social science in 1985, and a postgraduate certificate in development studies in 1989, from the University of Oslo.{{Cite web |title=HON. BUSIA RUTH ADHIAMBO ODINGA {{!}} The Kenyan Parliament Website |url=http://www.parliament.go.ke/index.php/the-national-assembly/hon-busia-ruth-adhiambo-odinga |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=www.parliament.go.ke}}
Political career
Ruth Odinga is a former Deputy Governor of Kisumu County and founding chairperson of the Kenya Network of Women Governors (KENWOG).{{Cite web |title=Inside the Life of Raila's Secretive Younger Sister {{!}} Kenyans.co.ke Website |url=http://www.kenyans.co.ke/news/45977-inside-life-railas-secretive-younger-sister |access-date=2023-12-24}} She is the younger sister of Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga
Odinga entered politics in 2013, running against Jack Ranguma to be Governor of Kisumu County.{{cite web | first=Kevine | last=Omello | title=I’m not ‘Raila sister’ Ruth Odinga tells journalists | newspaper=The Standard | date=November 18, 2016 | url=https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/entertainment/county-nairobi/article/2000223864/im-not-raila-sister-ruth-odinga-tells-journalists | access-date=2023-11-21}} After losing to Ranguma, she joined his team and served as his Deputy Governor from 2013 to 2017.{{cite web | first=Eddy | last=Mwanza | title=Inside the Life of Raila's Secretive Younger Sister | website=Kenyans.co.ke | date=November 3, 2019 | url=https://www.kenyans.co.ke/news/45977-inside-life-railas-secretive-younger-sister | access-date=2023-11-21 }} She was the senior advisor to the Governor and director of Special Programs and Disaster Management from 2017 to 2022.
In October 2017 she faced charges after taking part in protest against the election officials in Kisumu.{{cite web | title=Kenya's Ruth Odinga dey face charges over Kisumu protest | website=BBC | date=October 23, 2017 | url=https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/tori-41726407 | language=pcm | access-date=2023-11-21 }}{{cite news | first=Rushdie | last=Oudia | title=Fred Outa, Ruth Odinga charged over attacks on IEBC staff | newspaper=Nation | date=October 23, 2017 | url=https://nation.africa/kenya/news/politics/fred-outa-ruth-odinga-charged-over-attacks-on-iebc-staff-467318 | access-date=2023-11-21 }} In 2019, after her presence at a protest disrupting election training in Kisumu, there were again calls for her to be arrested and charged with incitement to violence.{{cite web | title=Sister of Kenya's opposition leader facing incitement charges | website=africanews | date= December 9, 2019 | url=https://www.africanews.com/2017/10/24/sister-of-kenya-s-opposition-leader-facing-incitement-charges// | access-date=2023-11-21 }}
She was elected the Kisumu County Women Representative in August 2022 using the Orange Democratic Movement ticket defeating her competitor Valentine Anyango of the Movement for Democracy and Growth party (MDG).{{Cite web |title=Ruth Odinga wins Kisumu woman rep seat |url=https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/realtime/2022-08-12-ruth-odinga-wins-kisumu-woman-rep-seat/ |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=The Star |language=en-KE}}
Odinga is a women’s rights activist and advocate for women's development and women in leadership. She is the founder of the Kenya Network of Women Governors (KEWOG), and continues to act as its chair.{{cite news | first=Kevine | last=Omollo | title=CORD sidelining women from leadership, says deputy governor Ruth Odinga | newspaper=The Standard | date=2016 | url=https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/politics/article/2000186537/cord-sidelining-women-from-leadership-says-deputy-governor-ruth-odinga | access-date=2023-10-21 }} She is also the recipient of a Gender Champion Award from the Kenyan Department of Gender.