Millie Grace Akoth Odhiambo Mabona (born 1 November 1966) is a Kenyan politician. She originally trained as a lawyer, and has been a member of parliament since 2008. She was first nominated and later elected as a Member of Mbita Constituency, (now Suba North Constituency).^[1]

Early life

Odhiambo was born in 1966 in Homa Bay to Harrison Odhiambo and Damaris Auma Odhiambo.^[2] She is the fourth of eight children.^[2] Her father Harrison Odhiambo died in 1973 in a boating accident, a moment that Odhiambo says helped spur her interest in politics.^[3]

Millie attended Homa Bay Primary School,^[2] St. Francis Girls Secondary School and Limuru Girls High School before she attended the University of Nairobi in 1986. She graduated in 1990 with a Bachelor of Laws degree.^[4] She would later study in the United States, Sweden and Italy.^[4]

She began her career in the attorney general's office practicing civil litigation before moving on to human rights law, with an emphasis on women and children.^[4] In 1999 she served as chairperson of Coalition on Violence Against Women-Kenya and from 2000 to 2008 was the founder and director of the CRADLE Children's Foundation, an organization working to improve children's rights in the legal system.^[4]

Political career

Odhiambo was nominated as a Member of Parliament in 2007 by Orange Democratic Movement^[4][5] then elected as a member of the Orange Democratic Movement in the 2013 Kenyan general election.^[4][6] Since taking her seat in Parliament, Kenyan media have described her as "controversial" and "outspoken".^[7][8]

Personal life

Millie married Magugu Mabona of Zimbabwe in 2006.^[9] The two first met online and currently have a long-distance relationship.^[2]

Odhiambo is a stepmother to Mabona's daughter Lebo, who lives in Botswana.^[3] She has been vocal about her struggle growing up with uterine fibroids, which led to both painful menstrual cycles and difficulty conceiving children.^[10]

References