Prof Okinda obtained his M.Sc. in 1978 and PhD in 1980 from the Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland (USA). He then returned to Kenya and became Lecturer at the University of Nairobi. His research interests include the quality production of black tea, understanding the chemical basis Kenya tea quality and improving both cultural, agronomic and black tea processing technologies. He has successively been Chemist Principal Research Officer, Head of Chemistry, Principal Scientist, Senior Principal Research Officer, Head of Technical Services, and Deputy Director of the Department of Tea Research Foundation of Kenya (TRFK) before he became Professor in 2004 at the University of Maseno. He has served in different institutions as Director of the School of Graduate Studies in Charge of Administration, Director of International Relations and Interlink of Maseno University. He has been Chairman of the Department of chemistry and Chairman Maseno University High Temperature and Foundry Project; member of the scientific advisory panel of the Board of Directors of the Tea Research Institute of Tanzania (TRIT), and member of technical and scientific advisor of the Rwanda tea industry. He is a member of the American Chemical Society and several other professional societies. He has national, regional and international awards and recognition and also has 200 publications.