Family Confirms Final Resting Place of Raila Odinga’s Sister Beryl Achieng
Preparations are now in motion for the burial of Beryl Lilian Achieng’ Mungwari Odinga, the younger sister of ODM leader Raila Odinga, who died on November 25 at the age of 73.
Over the weekend, members of the Odinga family convened in Bondo to begin formal arrangements for her send-off. The planning meetings, held on Saturday, November 29, were led by Raila Odinga Junior, who said he had been tasked with coordinating the process on behalf of the wider family.
Junior confirmed that his uncle, Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga, had authorised him to oversee preparations, including the selection of the burial site at the family cemetery, Kang’o Ka Jaramogi, where several Odinga relatives—including Raila’s late son, Fidel—are also laid to rest.
“With the blessings of my uncle Oburu Oginga, we sat down with Jakawuor today to choose the final resting place for my late aunt, Ms Beryl Lilian Achieng Mungwari Odinga, at Kango Ka Jaramogi,” he said in a statement. “Further funeral arrangements and details will be shared in due course.”
Although the burial date is yet to be announced, the family has indicated that full details will be communicated once consultations are complete.
Background to Burial Location
Beryl’s return to her ancestral home for burial is understood to be connected to the circumstances of her past marriage. She had separated from her husband, the late Aggrey Ambala, a former Gem MP, following what the family has publicly described as a violent and abusive union.
In his memoir, In the Shadow of My Father, Senator Oburu Oginga recounts episodes of domestic abuse that his sister suffered, revealing that Raila Odinga at one point intervened to rescue her from what he termed a dangerous situation. According to the account, repeated incidents of violence led Beryl to leave the marriage, taking her two children with her.
Life in Zimbabwe After Leaving Kenya
Following her departure, Beryl sought asylum in Zimbabwe, where she went on to rebuild her life and launch a successful public service career. She served as a clerk in two towns during her tenure in government and later transitioned into private enterprise, including running a restaurant business in Harare after her retirement.
Meanwhile, her estranged husband Aggrey Ambala died in 1985 after collapsing while in detention at Kodiaga Maximum Prison in Kisumu. He had been held following his implication in the murder of another Member of Parliament.
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Family Confirms Final Resting Place of Raila Odinga’s Sister Beryl Achieng