Prof. Peter Amollo Odhiambo

Vendor Biography

Prof. Peter Amollo Odhiambo is a pioneering Kenyan surgeon, public health advocate, and national thought leader. He was the first thoracic and cardiovascular surgeon in Kenya’s history, breaking medical ground in a country still finding its footing after independence. He led high-stakes operations (including the removal of a bullet from the chest of Mau Mau’s General China) and trained generations of Kenyan doctors while serving as a professor and head of surgery at the University of Nairobi.

Beyond the operating room, Prof. Odhiambo spearheaded Kenya’s first major anti-tobacco campaign, taking on multinational corporations and helping to draft the landmark Tobacco Control Act. His lifelong mission: to put science, service, and social justice at the heart of public health.

He is a recipient of multiple national and international honors, and continues to inspire a generation of professionals committed to doing hard things for the public good. His motto is “Tek to Nyalore,” which is not just a personal mantra – it is a call to arms.