President William Ruto has officially appointed Ida Betty Odinga as Kenya’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative in the Foreign Service, following approval by the National Assembly.
The appointment was formalized in a gazette notice dated February 27, 2026, in which the President invoked Article 132 (2) (e) of the Constitution. The notice reads:
"IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred by Article 132 (2) (e) of the Constitution of Kenya, I, William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, appoint— IDA BETTY ODINGA, CANON (DR.) as Ambassador and Permanent Representative in the Foreign Service of the Republic of Kenya."
With this appointment, Odinga will serve as Kenya’s chief envoy to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), headquartered in Nairobi.
Her nomination had earlier been vetted and approved by the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations before being adopted by the House.
As Permanent Representative, Odinga will represent Kenya in global discussions on climate change, biodiversity conservation, pollution control, and sustainable development.
She will play a key role in international negotiations, ensuring that Kenya’s voice—and Africa’s interests—are heard on critical environmental issues.
Kenya, as host of UNEP’s headquarters, holds a strategic position in shaping global environmental policies.
Odinga’s decades of experience in public service, education advocacy, and community development make her well-suited to this important role.
Supporters have described her appointment as recognition of her longstanding contributions to national and community affairs.
The formalities for Odinga’s assumption of office are expected to proceed following the issuance of the gazette notice, marking the start of her tenure as Kenya’s top representative to UNEP.
Tags
News