Before he became one of Kenya’s most influential political figures, Raila Odinga’s path began in the classrooms of Nyanza and stretched across continents to East Germany. His early years reveal a fascinating journey marked by education, ambition, and a global outlook that would later define his political life.
Highlights
- Born in 1945 in Maseno, Kisumu District, to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and Mary Juma Odinga.
- His father was Kenya’s first Vice President under Jomo Kenyatta.
- Studied at Maranda High School before moving to East Germany in 1962.
- Attended the Herder Institution and later the Technische Hochschule in Magdeburg.
- Graduated in 1970 with a welding certificate, having experienced both East and West Germany during the Cold War.
Main Story
Early Life and Education in Kenya
Raila Amollo Odinga was born on January 7, 1945, at the Anglican Church Missionary Society Hospital in Maseno, Kisumu District, in what is now Siaya County. He was the son of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, who would later become Kenya’s first Vice President, and Mary Juma Odinga. Growing up in a politically aware family, young Raila was exposed early to leadership and national ideals.
He began his education at Kisumu Union Primary School before transferring to Maranda Primary and later Maranda High School in Bondo. His academic promise caught the attention of his father, who decided to send him abroad for further studies in 1962.
The German Experience
Raila’s next chapter took him to East Germany, then part of the Soviet-aligned bloc. He enrolled at the Herder Institution, a preparatory language school under the University of Leipzig, where he spent two years mastering the German language and adapting to European academic culture.
In 1965, Raila earned a scholarship to the Technische Hochschule in Magdeburg (now Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg). There, he studied mechanical and welding engineering, fields that matched his interest in technical innovation and industry.
Living in East Germany during the Cold War gave Raila a unique perspective on global politics and social systems. He often crossed into West Berlin through the famous Checkpoint Charlie one of the few controlled passages between the two sides of the divided city. During these visits, he would carry goods back to his friends in East Berlin, where many everyday items were scarce due to trade restrictions.
From the quiet town of Maseno to the divided streets of Berlin, Raila Odinga’s early life is a testament to how far vision and curiosity can take a young mind with purpose.
