Jaoko Oburu Odinga is a Kenyan businessman, public administrator and political figure who comes from one of the country’s most prominent political families.

He is the son of Oburu Oginga, the veteran politician, economist and elder brother of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. This makes Jaoko a nephew of Raila and a grandson of Kenya’s first Vice President, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.

For much of his career, Jaoko operated away from the national political spotlight. He built a business career, worked in Siaya County Government, became involved in youth political mobilisation and played a role in Raila Odinga’s political campaigns.

His profile changed dramatically in April 2025, when President William Ruto appointed him Special Advisor on Economic Empowerment and Sustainable Livelihoods in the Executive Office of the President.

By 2026, however, Jaoko was beginning to move beyond the role of political organiser and government adviser.

He emerged as part of a new generation of the Odinga family seeking to establish its own political identity ahead of the 2027 General Election. Recent reports have said he has declared interest in the Siaya governorship, potentially putting him on a collision course with the established political order in the county.

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Early Life and the Odinga Family

Jaoko grew up in a family where politics was never far from everyday life.

His father, Oburu Oginga, is the eldest son of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and has been involved in Kenyan public life for decades.

His uncle, Raila Odinga, went on to become one of Kenya’s most influential politicians, serving as Prime Minister from 2008 to 2013 and making several unsuccessful bids for the presidency.

That family background gave Jaoko an unusual upbringing.

Politics was part of the family’s history, but Jaoko did not immediately follow the traditional path of entering elective politics.

Instead, he spent considerable time outside Kenya, particularly in Zimbabwe and Canada, where he pursued his education and later established a business.

Education in Zimbabwe

Jaoko’s early education took place partly in Zimbabwe.

Available biographical accounts say he attended Voinona Primary School and Voinona Secondary School before proceeding to Prince Edward School in Harare for his secondary education.

His education outside Kenya exposed him to a different environment from the one in which many members of the Odinga family were educated.

Eventually, he moved to Canada for university.

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University in Canada

Jaoko studied at St Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

He pursued a Bachelor of Commerce degree with honours in Accounting and Finance, graduating in 1997.

His Canadian experience was not simply about university education.

Jaoko has spoken about taking various jobs while studying in Canada because his family could not simply finance his entire education abroad.

That period would later become one of the more frequently told parts of his personal story.

Working His Way Through Canada

Unlike the image sometimes associated with children of prominent political families, Jaoko has said that his life in Canada involved taking ordinary jobs to support himself.

Kenyans.co.ke reported that he took odd jobs while studying, eventually graduating with honours in 1997.

His experience abroad later influenced his approach to business.

Rather than immediately entering politics after university, he explored entrepreneurship.

That decision would lead to a business involving African cultural products.

Building a Business in Canada

After completing his studies, Jaoko developed a business based around African cultural artefacts and materials.

He established AfrikBatik, a business based in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

According to a profile published by Kenyans.co.ke, the business became the only black-owned shop of its kind in the region at the time.

Jaoko initially imported cultural products from Zimbabwe, before expanding his sourcing to Kenya and Tanzania.

This part of his career is important because it shows that his professional life did not begin in government or politics.

He had experience as an entrepreneur before entering public administration.

Returning to Kenya

After spending years in Canada, Jaoko eventually returned to Kenya.

His professional interests gradually shifted toward public service, investment and development.

He became involved in the affairs of Siaya County, the political heartland of the wider Odinga family.

The move brought him closer to local government and eventually to county politics.

Career in Siaya County Government

Jaoko’s public-service career became particularly prominent during the administration of former Siaya Governor Cornel Rasanga.

He worked as an Investment and Resource Mobilisation Adviser, where his responsibilities included identifying investment opportunities and helping the county attract resources and partnerships.

His experience in business and accounting provided a foundation for this work.

Rather than concentrating solely on political mobilisation, Jaoko became involved in questions of investment, enterprise development and resource mobilisation.

He also developed an interest in small-scale commercial aquaculture, including efforts aimed at improving the capacity of local farmers through training and extension services.

County Executive Committee Member

Jaoko later moved into a more senior position within the Siaya County Government.

In 2018, the Siaya County Assembly approved his nomination as County Executive Committee Member for Enterprise and Industry.

He subsequently served in the county administration in portfolios including Trade, Enterprise, Roads and Public Works during Rasanga’s administration. Jaoko himself later described his work as involving business-friendly policies, investment attraction, trade promotion and SME training.

His time in county government therefore gave him experience in both economic development and physical infrastructure.

It also gave him an opportunity to build a political profile in Siaya.

Entering Political Mobilisation

Although Jaoko had not yet become an elected politician, his involvement in politics was growing.

Ahead of the 2013 General Election, he became associated with a youthful political pressure group known as Friends of Raila.

He served as its founding patron, while longtime associates including Agingo Rapemo and Ken Kirimania were also involved in its leadership.

The group reflected an important development in Kenyan politics: younger professionals and activists attempting to mobilise around Raila while creating their own political networks.

Jaoko was increasingly becoming one of the younger members of the wider Odinga political machinery.

The Young Turks

Jaoko’s political involvement became even more visible in the years that followed.

He became associated with the Young Turks Handshake Alliance, a youth-oriented political network that supported Raila Odinga and the Building Bridges Initiative.

In 2020, Kenya News Agency reported that Jaoko was one of the leaders of the group and was then serving as Siaya’s County Executive Committee Member for Roads and Public Works.

He argued that young people should help reshape Kenyan politics and move away from what he described as divisive ethnic politics.

This was consistent with his growing emphasis on youth participation and economic opportunity.

He Considered Running for Parliament

Jaoko’s growing political profile eventually generated speculation that he would seek an elective position himself.

In early 2022, a poster circulated suggesting that he could contest the Lang’ata parliamentary seat.

The speculation became strong enough that Jaoko had to clarify his position.

He said his immediate priority was not to seek the seat but to mobilise support for Raila Odinga’s presidential campaign.

At that point, Jaoko was effectively choosing to remain behind the scenes.

He wanted to help his uncle win the presidency rather than launch his own parliamentary campaign.

Campaigning for Raila in 2022

During the 2022 presidential election, Jaoko became part of the Azimio Young Turks, a youth mobilisation network campaigning for Raila.

The group sought to mobilise younger voters across Kenya.

Jaoko’s position was significant because he was not simply a relative of Raila. He had developed experience in youth political mobilisation and county administration.

His role helped make him one of the more visible members of the younger Odinga generation.

Raila ultimately lost the 2022 presidential election to William Ruto.

But Jaoko’s political profile had continued to grow.

Friends of Baba Africa

Jaoko became particularly prominent again in 2024, when Raila sought the position of Chairperson of the African Union Commission.

Jaoko announced the launch of Friends of Baba Africa, commonly known as FOBA.

The organisation sought to build a continental network to support Raila’s campaign for the AUC chairmanship.

The initiative was ambitious.

Instead of campaigning only within Kenya, FOBA sought to connect supporters across Africa and promote Raila’s candidacy among African countries.

Jaoko became one of the public faces of the campaign.

His involvement demonstrated that his political activity was no longer confined to Siaya or Kenyan politics.

He was becoming involved in continental political advocacy.

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Raila’s AUC Campaign

Raila’s campaign for the AUC chairmanship became one of the major African diplomatic contests of 2024 and early 2025.

Jaoko’s role through FOBA placed him close to the campaign machinery.

FOBA sought to mobilise support and resources for Raila’s candidacy, although the organisation later faced questions over fundraising activities associated with the campaign.

Raila ultimately lost the AUC election to Djibouti’s Mahmoud Ali Youssouf in February 2025.

For Jaoko, however, the campaign further expanded his continental political experience.

The Unexpected Ruto Appointment

The biggest transformation in Jaoko’s career came shortly afterward.

On 22 April 2025, President William Ruto appointed him Special Advisor on Economic Empowerment and Sustainable Livelihoods in the Executive Office of the President.

The appointment attracted attention for an obvious reason.

Jaoko was the son of Oburu Oginga and nephew of Raila Odinga—both prominent figures in the opposition ODM tradition.

Yet he was now serving directly within the administration of William Ruto.

The appointment therefore reflected the dramatic political realignment that had taken place in Kenya following the cooperation between Ruto and Raila.

What Does Jaoko Do in Ruto’s Government?

His position is focused largely on economic empowerment and sustainable livelihoods.

In an interview with The Star, Jaoko explained that his responsibilities include advising the President on economic matters, particularly policies affecting vulnerable and marginalised groups.

His portfolio covers:

• Job creation
• Entrepreneurship
• Youth empowerment
• Women’s empowerment
• Access to financial services
• Development of sustainable livelihoods
• Strengthening the informal sector
• Collaboration between national and county governments
• Support for SMEs and emerging businesses.

His previous experience in Siaya therefore became relevant to his national assignment.

He had already worked on investment mobilisation, enterprise development and trade at the county level.

His Focus on Young Kenyans

One of Jaoko’s recurring themes has been youth employment.

In 2025, he argued that Kenya needed to move beyond simply telling young people to look for jobs.

He advocated for stronger technical skills training, links between training institutions and employers, access to financing and mentorship.

His own experience is relevant here.

He studied abroad, worked ordinary jobs while studying, entered business and later moved into government.

That background has helped shape his argument that young Kenyans need both skills and access to opportunities.

A Member of the Odinga Family Inside the Ruto Government

Jaoko’s appointment is politically significant beyond the job itself.

For decades, the Odinga family was strongly associated with opposition politics.

His father, Oburu, served as a senior figure in Raila’s political movement.

Raila himself spent much of his career challenging successive governments.

Jaoko’s position inside the Ruto administration therefore represents a striking generational shift.

He is a member of the Odinga family, but he is also operating inside a government that his family historically opposed.

This has made him an interesting figure in Kenya’s changing political alliances.

His Relationship With Raila Odinga

Jaoko’s political career was closely linked to his uncle Raila.

He campaigned for Raila, participated in youth mobilisation and later helped establish FOBA during Raila’s AUC campaign.

But Jaoko’s relationship with Raila was not simply ceremonial.

He worked within political structures supporting Raila’s ambitions and became one of the younger figures trusted with mobilisation.

When Raila died in October 2025, Jaoko lost not only an uncle but also the political figure around whom much of his early political activism had been organised.

The death accelerated the question of what the next generation of the Odinga family would do.

Moving Out of Raila’s Shadow

This is perhaps the most interesting part of Jaoko’s story.

For years, his public identity was largely defined through other people:

Oburu’s son.

Raila’s nephew.

Jaramogi’s grandson.

But his career increasingly gave him credentials of his own.

He had business experience.

He had worked in county government.

He had experience in investment mobilisation.

He had participated in youth political organising.

He had been involved in continental political advocacy.

And now he had a national government appointment.

The question became whether he would eventually seek an electoral mandate of his own.

Jaoko and the 2027 Siaya Governorship

That question became more serious in 2026.

Reports in August and September 2026 said Jaoko had entered the political conversation around the Siaya governorship. Some reports described him as having declared his interest in the position, while others framed his move as part of the broader positioning of the Odinga family ahead of the 2027 election.

This would be a major step.

Unlike a government appointment, a gubernatorial race would require Jaoko to win votes directly.

It would also put him in competition with established politicians.

Most importantly, it would require him to demonstrate that the Odinga name can translate into an independent electoral mandate for the next generation.

The Challenge of the Odinga Name

The Odinga name is both Jaoko’s greatest political asset and potentially his greatest challenge.

Few political surnames in Kenya carry as much history.

His grandfather Jaramogi was a central figure in the independence struggle.

His father Oburu has been a politician for decades.

His uncle Raila became one of the most influential political figures in Kenya’s post-independence history.

That heritage gives Jaoko instant recognition.

But it also creates expectations.

Voters can ask a simple question:

What does Jaoko Oburu himself represent?

That may be the central political test of his next chapter.

His Political Philosophy

Jaoko has repeatedly emphasised economic empowerment, youth opportunity and reducing political divisions.

During his Young Turks years, he spoke about moving away from ethnic politics.

In his current government role, his emphasis has shifted toward jobs, enterprise development, financial inclusion and sustainable livelihoods.

That gives him a potentially different political identity from the traditional Odinga model.

Raila’s politics was strongly associated with constitutional reform, democracy, opposition politics and national political transformation.

Jaoko appears to be building his profile more heavily around economic opportunity and development.

Whether that becomes his defining political identity remains to be seen.

Family Life

Jaoko has generally maintained a relatively low public profile concerning his private life.

Published profiles report that he has children from two marriages, although detailed information about his family is not as extensively documented as his political career.

His preference for keeping much of his private life away from politics is consistent with his relatively low-profile public image before his appointment to the Presidency.

Jaoko Oburu’s Career Timeline

Year	Milestone
Early years	Attended schools in Zimbabwe
1997	Graduated from St Mary’s University in Canada with honours
After 1997	Developed African cultural-artefacts business in Canada
2013 onward	Became involved in Siaya County development and investment mobilisation
2013	Involved in Friends of Raila youth political network
2018	Approved by Siaya County Assembly for Enterprise and Industry executive position
2020	Associated with Young Turks/Handshake political mobilisation
2022	Participated in Azimio Young Turks campaign for Raila
2022	Declined to pursue the rumoured Lang’ata parliamentary bid
2024	Launched/led Friends of Baba Africa for Raila’s AUC campaign
April 2025	Appointed Special Advisor on Economic Empowerment and Sustainable Livelihoods by President Ruto
2025–2026	Focused on youth employment, entrepreneurship and economic empowerment
2026	Began positioning for a possible elective political future in Siaya
2027	Reported to be seeking the Siaya governorship

Jaoko Oburu and the Next Generation of the Odinga Family

Jaoko’s political journey has become particularly interesting because it coincides with a broader generational transition in the Odinga family.

After Raila’s death, members of the younger generation began receiving greater public attention.

Jaoko is one of them.

His cousin Raila Odinga Junior is also moving toward elective politics, while other members of the family remain active in national and county politics.

The result is a new political question:

Can the Odinga family remain politically influential without Raila at its centre?

Jaoko’s career could provide part of the answer.

The Man Between Two Political Worlds

There is another fascinating dimension to Jaoko’s story.

He is now positioned between two political worlds.

On one side is the Odinga political tradition, inherited through his father and uncle.

On the other is the Ruto administration, where he currently serves as a presidential adviser.

That makes his political trajectory different from that of the previous generation.

He is not simply continuing Raila’s opposition politics.

Nor is he simply abandoning the Odinga tradition.

Instead, he appears to be building a career within Kenya’s rapidly changing political alliances.

What Comes Next for Jaoko Oburu?

If Jaoko ultimately contests the Siaya governorship in 2027, the election will represent the most important political test of his career.

He would have to move from appointed positions to an elected mandate.

He would also have to convince voters that he is more than the son of Oburu Oginga or the nephew of Raila Odinga.

His experience gives him a substantial foundation: business, accounting and finance, county administration, investment mobilisation, youth political organisation and national government advisory work.

But elections are different.

They require voters to make a personal choice.

And that is where Jaoko’s story enters its most important chapter.

Conclusion

Jaoko Oburu Odinga represents a new generation of one of Kenya’s most enduring political families.

Born into the Odinga family, he nevertheless spent much of his early adult life away from the political spotlight. He studied in Zimbabwe and Canada, worked his way through university, built a business in Canada and later returned to Kenya to work in county government.

His political career developed gradually through youth mobilisation, support for Raila Odinga and involvement in the former Prime Minister’s campaign for the African Union Commission chairmanship.

Then came an unexpected political turn.

In 2025, President William Ruto appointed him to the Executive Office of the President, giving him responsibility for economic empowerment and sustainable livelihoods.

Now, as Kenya approaches the 2027 General Election, Jaoko is increasingly being discussed not merely as Oburu Oginga’s son or Raila Odinga’s nephew, but as a potential political actor in his own right.

Whether he can transform the powerful Odinga family name into an independent electoral mandate will be one of the more interesting political stories to watch in Siaya and beyond.

For Jaoko Oburu, the era of being known primarily as somebody else’s son or nephew may be coming to an end. The next question is whether Kenyan voters will know him simply as Jaoko.