Odinga Family Seeks Public Help for Beryl Achieng’s Funeral
The death of Beryl Odinga, daughter of the late Kenyan political giant Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, is undeniably a loss for the nation. Beryl, a pioneer in her own right—notably serving as the first Black Town Clerk of Mutare in Zimbabwe—deserves a dignified send-off. However, the subsequent public appeal for funeral donations has ignited a firestorm of controversy that cuts straight to the heart of wealth, political entitlement, and cultural expectations in Kenya.
The call for contributions, shared by her sister and current Kisumu Woman Representative, Ruth Odinga, directed supporters to Paybill 8002413. The funds are designated for expenses leading up to the memorial on December 3 at Consolata Shrine and the final burial on December 6 in Bondo, Siaya County.
The immediate reaction on social media was a mix of shock and outrage. The core of the debate is simple: Why is one of Kenya’s wealthiest and most politically powerful families soliciting public donations?
The Odinga family currently boasts significant parliamentary representation through Beryl’s siblings, including Oburu Odinga, Ruth Odinga, and Winnie Odinga. Their patriarch, Raila Odinga, remains one of the country’s most enduring political figures, running massive business and political operations for decades.
As one Twitter user bluntly put it:
“Despite vast wealth and parliamentary representation through Oburu, Ruth, and Winnie, the family continues to solicit burial contributions. This is an undue entitlement of the Odingas, as they are not the public’s responsibility.”
Another user noted the cynicism this appeal breeds, writing: “Tukue serious kidogo.” This public scrutiny suggests a growing impatience with what many perceive as a blurred line between national support and family self-sufficiency.
Defenders of the Odinga family argue that the appeal aligns perfectly with deep-rooted Luo traditions of communal support during a time of bereavement. The harambee spirit, where the community comes together to shoulder the burden of a grand, highly-attended funeral, is a long-standing cultural expectation, particularly for a figure of Beryl’s stature.
But does a tradition designed for collective aid still apply when the family in question could comfortably bankroll the entire funeral with change to spare?
One of the most concerning reactions online wasn’t just about the money, but about the precedent: “What is the name of this disease/condition? Please help us diagnose it so that we can cure it forever,” wrote one commenter, highlighting the perceived “disease” of perpetual reliance on the public purse by the political class.
The Odinga family’s decision to launch a Paybill for Beryl’s funeral forces Kenyans to ask a crucial question: When do the immense wealth and political power accumulated by the elite trump the cultural need for communal contribution? For many, the answer is clear: the family’s financial status makes the current appeal feel less like a communal effort and more like an exercise in undue entitlement.
The Beryl Odinga funeral appeal has become a flashpoint—a moment where Kenya must decide if political privilege should continue to exploit cultural norms.
