In contrast to his sister Winnie Odinga, who is seen as the political heir to former Prime Minister and Azimio Coalition leader Raila Odinga, Raila Junior has opted to steer clear of politics. While Winnie is often seen alongside her father during protests against the government, Raila Junior takes on key roles in managing the family’s vast business interests, particularly in the energy sector.
Raila Odinga’s net worth is estimated at around Ksh2 billion as of 2022, and he has interests in multiple companies, including East African Spectre Limited, BE Energy, and Pan African Petroleum Company. His business activities span various facets of the energy sector, including the manufacturing and revalidation of LPG cylinders, and the importation and distribution of petroleum products.
Raila Junior holds a degree in accounting and finance from Bangor University and a Masters in Finance from Leeds Beckett University in the United Kingdom. He holds key positions in several Odinga-owned companies.
Since August 2022, Raila Junior has served as the Financial Director at EA Spectre Limited, a company his father founded in 1971 while working at the University of Nairobi’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. EA Spectre Limited is a leading manufacturer and revalidator of LPG cylinders, controlling around 20% of the new LPG cylinder market share and over 80% of the revalidation market share.
Raila Junior is also a shareholder in Pan African Petroleum, owning 25,000 shares along with other close family members. The Odinga family holds its stake in BE Energy through the Pan African Petroleum Company.
BE Energy was established in 2004 with the aim of becoming the leading oil and gas supplier in the region. The Odinga family holds a 35% stake in the company, with the majority shareholder being Saudi Arabia’s Bakri family.
According to data from the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), BE Energy is the seventh-largest oil retailer in Kenya, controlling 3.1% of the fuel market in 2021. It also supplies jet fuel to major airlines such as Kenya Airways, KLM, and Air France, with a fueling facility at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
BE Energy has storage facilities in various locations, including Mombasa, Nairobi, Nakuru, Eldoret, and Kisumu, and exports petrol, diesel, kerosene, jet fuel, and oil lubricants to countries such as South Sudan, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Since January 2007, Raila Junior has been involved in regional and local sales of petroleum products as a Sales Assistant at Bakri International Energy.
