08/10/2026
Dr. Oburu Ng’ong’a Oginga was born on 15 October 1943 in Nyanza Province, Kenya. He is the son of Kenya’s first Vice-President, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, and a brother of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and former Kisumu Deputy Governor Ruth Odinga. He comes from the prominent Odinga political family, which has played a significant role in Kenya’s political history.
Oburu received part of his education in the former Soviet Union. Between 1962 and 1964, he attended Soviet Secondary School in Moscow before proceeding to People’s Friendship University in Moscow, where he studied Economics. He obtained a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree in Economics between 1965 and 1967, and a PhD in Economics from 1968 to 1970.
After completing his studies, Oburu began his career in public service. He served as an elected councillor in Kisumu Municipality from 1974 to 1979. He subsequently worked as an economist in the Ministry of Planning and National Development from 1981 to 1994, gaining experience in Kenya’s public administration and economic planning.
In 1994, Oburu entered national politics when he became the Member of Parliament for Bondo Constituency, succeeding his father. He represented Bondo until 2013 and also served as Assistant Minister for Finance between 2008 and 2013 during the Grand Coalition Government led by President Mwai Kibaki, with Raila Odinga serving as Prime Minister. He later served as a nominated Member of Parliament from 2013 to 2017.
From 2017 to 2022, Oburu represented Kenya in the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), where he also served as a commissioner. In the 2022 general election, he was elected Senator for Siaya County, a position he continues to hold.
Following the death of his brother Raila Odinga in 2025, Oburu took a more prominent role in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). He was appointed acting party leader and was subsequently confirmed as the party leader..
In March 2026, ODM formally ratified him as its leader.
Oburu has also documented his experiences and the history of his family in his autobiography, In the Shadow of My Father, published in 2021 and compiled by Bethuel Oduo. His career has therefore spanned economics, public administration, local government, Parliament, regional East African politics, the Senate and national party leadership.
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