Who Is Catherine Omanyo? Profile of the Newly Appointed ODM Acting Secretary General
Leadership changes within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) have once again drawn national attention to Busia Woman Representative Catherine Omanyo, following her appointment as the party’s Acting Secretary General on February 11, 2026.
Her elevation to the influential position comes at a time when internal party disagreements and political realignments are beginning to shape the country’s political landscape ahead of the next election cycle.
Omanyo takes over the role from Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, who had served as ODM Secretary General since February 2018. The decision to relieve Sifuna of his duties was made by the party’s National Executive Committee, signaling a major shift in ODM’s top leadership structure.
The change is seen by many political observers as part of a broader strategy by the party to reorganize its leadership as competition and alliances ahead of future elections continue to evolve.
Before her appointment, Omanyo had been serving as the party’s Deputy Secretary General, a role in which she steadily built influence within ODM without attracting much national controversy.
During this period, she strengthened her political base in Busia County through grassroots programs and community-centered initiatives that increased her visibility among ordinary citizens, particularly women and vulnerable groups.
Catherine Omanyo was born on July 7, 1970, in Busia County. Her early life was marked by significant challenges after the death of her father when she was only fourteen years old.
Following his passing, her mother rejected cultural pressure to be inherited by her late husband’s brother, a decision that isolated the family socially and financially.
As a result, her mother was left to raise ten children alone under difficult circumstances. Being the fourth-born child, Omanyo faced serious struggles in accessing education, at times attending lessons unofficially by sneaking into classrooms just to listen and learn, only to be punished and sent away when discovered.
Despite these hardships, her determination to pursue education remained strong. In 1998, she earned a scholarship to study at the University of Nairobi.
Life in the capital was not easy, and she reportedly took on casual work, including washing clothes, to support herself and meet daily expenses while continuing with her studies. Her experiences during this period shaped her passion for education and social work.
While living in Nairobi, Omanyo noticed that many children living in informal settlements were not attending school due to poverty. Motivated by her own background, she began tutoring some of these children voluntarily. What started as a small initiative later grew into Imprezza Academy in 2001.
The project eventually developed into the International School for Champions, a tuition-free learning institution located near the Kenya-Uganda border in Busia.
The school focuses on providing education opportunities to orphaned and disadvantaged children who would otherwise miss out on schooling.
Omanyo’s political journey began in 2007 when she first contested for the Nambale parliamentary seat under the KADU party at the age of twenty-nine. Although she finished third, the experience marked the beginning of her political career.
She later attempted to win the Matayos parliamentary seat during the 2013 and 2017 general elections but was unsuccessful. Despite these defeats, she remained active in politics, building networks and maintaining her presence in community development work.
Her major political breakthrough came in the 2022 General Election when she was elected as the Busia County Woman Representative on an ODM ticket, succeeding Florence Mutua.
Since joining Parliament, she has focused on development projects through the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF).
Among her notable initiatives are the drilling of more than 37 boreholes to improve access to clean water and the construction of houses for vulnerable widows across different parts of Busia County.
In addition to infrastructure and social support programs, Omanyo has also led campaigns targeting health and dignity issues affecting marginalized communities.
She has spearheaded anti-jigger initiatives aimed at improving hygiene and health conditions, while also running menstrual health programs that include the distribution of sanitary pads to schoolgirls to help keep them in school.
Her work has earned recognition in several performance assessments, where she has been ranked among the top twenty-five best-performing women representatives in Kenya by various opinion polls.
She has also received a Certificate of Merit for her efforts in mobilizing resources for community development projects.
Speaking previously about her passion for education, Omanyo explained that her decision to start tutoring children was influenced by her own childhood struggles, noting that many young people remained idle simply because their families could not afford school fees — a situation she personally understood.
With recent popularity polls placing her among potential frontrunners in future political contests despite criticism from some quarters over how resources have been distributed, Omanyo now assumes ODM’s administrative leadership at a crucial moment.
Her appointment places her at the center of party operations as ODM prepares for a politically sensitive period marked by shifting alliances, internal negotiations, and growing competition ahead of the 2027 elections.
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