Raila Amolo Odinga is a famous Kenyan politician and businessman who served as the Prime Minister of Kenya from 2008 to 2013. Before being elected as the Prime Minister, Odinga was a member of the Parliament of Kenya for Langata. With a strong political presence on one side and a successful business venture on the other, Raila Odinga’s net worth is estimated to be around $2.3 billion.
Ever since he stepped down as Prime Minister, Odinga is supposed to have taken up the role of leader of the opposition in the Kenyan political scenario.
Odinga had been in the field of politics from early on. Before winning the election and becoming Prime Minister, Odinga ran in the Kenyan presidential election five times and lost each time.
Odinga’s path to the position of Prime Minister was also not without bumps. Odinga joined the government illegally. Odinga planned the 2002 merger of the two major Kenyan political parties, KANU and NDP, and subsequently became the leader of the ruling party.
The initiation of chaos in the country’s political scenario in 2007 led to his ascendance as the Prime Minister of Kenya.
About Raila Odinga
The former Prime Minister of Kenya, Raila Odinga, was born on January 7, 1945, at the Anglican Church Missionary Society hospital, which is located in the Nyanza province of Kenya.
He was born as the son of Jaramogi Odinga Odina and Mary Juma Odinga. When Jomo Kenyatta was President of Kenya, Raila’s father, Jaramogi Odinga, was the country’s first Vice President.
Raila followed in his father’s footsteps and entered politics. Raila spent his childhood in Kenya, where he attended different schools like Kisumu Union Primary, Maranda Primary, and also Maranda High School.
Odinga went to school in Kenya, but when he was done, his father moved him to Germany.
Upon his arrival in Germany, Odinga spent two years at the Herder Institution, where foreign students received training in the German language. Odinga was a member of the philological faculty at the University of Leipzig in East Germany.
Raila also received a scholarship, which made his entry into the Technische Hochschule, which is a technical school.
Odinga returned to Kenya from Germany in 1070. When Raila got back to his home country, he started a business. Standard Processing Equipment Construction & Erection Limited was the name he gave it.
Later, the company was renamed East Africa Spectre. The company is the sole manufacturer of liquid petroleum gas in Kenya.
His political career was not all that successful, as he ran and lost five times in the election for President of Kenya. In the 2007 election, Odinga finished third, and in the 2013, 2017, and 2022 elections, he was defeated by Mwai Kibaki, who is seen as one of Kenya’s founding fathers.
Raila Odinga Net Worth and Salary
Born into one of the strongest families in Kenya, and with his father being the former president of the nation, Raila Odina was blessed with money from a young age.
The most recent reports say that Raila Odinga’s net worth is estimated to be around $2.3 billion. Raila Odinga served as Kenya’s opposition leader following his tenure as prime minister.
He has also worked in different positions like that of Minister of Energy, Minister of Roads, Public Works, and Housing, and also as the High Representative for Infrastructure Development at the African Union Commission.
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Reports and numbers show that Raila Odinga is one of the wealthiest politicians in the country. According to the report published by Forbes, the politician’s net worth is estimated to be around $2.3 billion as of 2022.
Odinga’s company is the only one in the whole country that makes liquid petroleum gas. This gives them a large market with no competition.
The company itself is said to generate a great deal of profit for Odinga. Apart from this business, Odina also manages different ventures in fields like land, real estate, and manufacturing.
Raila Odinga’s Family and Personal Life
Raila Odinga was the son of the first vice president of Kenya, Jaramogi Odinga Odinga, and Mary Juma Odinga. Odinga was baptized as an Anglican Christian in his childhood, and later he became a born-again Christian.
Raila launched his autobiography, which is a 1040-page book titled “Flame of Freedom,”’ on October 6, 2013, in Kenya. The book describes his life and experiences, right from his childhood. The book was released on October 15, 2013 in the United States.
Odinga was also interested in football and was seen playing it for a brief period of his life. He took the field as a midfielder.
Odinga got married to Ida Betty Odina, who is also a very prominent figure in Kenya. She is a successful businesswoman, educator, and activist. She has even topped a list of the most powerful women in Kenya published by The Standard, which is one of the largest newspapers in Kenya.
The couple has four children together. They are named Fidel, Rosemary, Raila Jr., and Winnie. Their second daughter, Winnie, who was named after Winnie Mandela, is a Kenyan representative at the East Africa Legislative Assembly.
In 2008, Odina participated in an interview with the BBC, in which he stated that he was related to President Barack Obama, but the claim was denied by Obama’s uncle, who made it clear that there was no blood relation between Odinga and Obama.
Honors and Recognitions
During his time as a politician and businessman, Raila Odina has won a number of awards and been praised for his work.
He was awarded three honorary titles by three different universities. He received a Doctor of Laws title from the University of Nairobi in 2008.
Likewise, he was also honored by Florida A&M University with an honorary degree and by the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology with an honorary doctorate, both in the year 2012.
Even though Raila Odinga was involved in different controversies and scams like Miguna Miguna’s claims, the maize scandal, and the 2019 gold scams, he still holds an honorable and powerful position in the political and business scenario in Kenya.
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