Millie Odhiambo Biography, Age, Family, Marriage, Education and Career

By Prudence Minayo

Millie Akoth Odhiambo Mabona is a seasoned Kenyan politician known for her outspoken personality. She is a vocal member of the Orange Democratic Party (ODM) and a staunch supporter of Raila Amolo Odinga-the party leader. From a very young age, Millie knew that she wanted to be a politician and worked towards achieving her goals.

For more than 10 years, she has served as a member of parliament in Kenya. She is proudly half luo and half Suba. Millie is passionate about fighting for the rights of women and children and is not afraid to call out any person she feels is undermining them. For eight years (2000 to 2008), she was the founder and director of the Cradle Children’s Foundation. The organization was working towards improving the rights of children in the legal system. 

Age

The seasoned politician was born on 1st November 1966.

Family

Millie is the fourth born in a family of eight children. She was born in Homa Bay to Damaris and Harrison Odhiambo. Unfortunately, a boating accident killed her father in 1973, a year before she vied for the Mbita parliamentary seat. This death is what ignited the political spark within her and she knew politics was what she would pursue. 

Marriage

The MP is married to a Zimbabwe national named Magugu Mabona. The two met online and got married on 14th February 2006. In a 2010 interview with The Standard, she revealed that her husband was not intimidated with her success. Their long distance relationship has worked out for them so far and she has a step child but no biological children. 

Education

The member of parliament attended Homa Bay Primary School then proceeded to St. Francis Girls High School. She then completed her high school education at Limuru Girls High School.

In 1986, she joined the University of Nairobi where she pursued and successfully graduated with a Bachelor of Law Degree. Later on, she pursued further studies in Sweden, the United States of America and Italy.

Courtesy of parliament.go.ke

Career

The qualified lawyer began her career journey at the attorney general’s office. She started with civil litigation before moving to human rights law specializing on women and children. 

In 1999, she was the Chairperson of Coalition of Violence against Women-Kenya.

2.Employment/Service History:

1. 3.Membership to Committees (10^th Parliament):

1. 4.Membership to Committees & Other Parliaments (11^th Parliament):

1. 5.Membership to Committees (12^th Parliament):

Politics

Millie supported the Orange Democratic Movement and in 2007 the party nominated her as Member of Parliament for Mbita Constituency which is currently referred to as Suba North constituency. 

In the 2013 general elections, she was elected as the Suba North Member of Parliament under the ODM party.

The Kenyan media has referred to her as outspoken, no- nonsense, courageous and controversial among other adjectives. She is known for expressing her views without mincing words and has even called out a number of politicians whom she feels have overstepped their boundaries/ have opposing views.  Recently, she was accused of allegedly heckling the deputy president William Ruto but she denied this. This was during the launch of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) at Bomas of Kenya, Nairobi.

   “ I was answering his questions because he was asking us questions about what should be done, and I was basically reminding him he is the deputy president and I should be asking him the questions he was asking and not vice versa, ” she said during an interview with KTN News. 

It is not the first time the MP has differed with a politician or expressed her views openly. At one time, she stormed Parliament demanding the proceedings be stopped on a point of order, in a different incident she almost stripped naked in parliament while opposing how they were being treated and in the past she has set Twitter On fire by attacking president Uhuru Kenyatta.