Category Archives: Luo

PRESIDENT OBAMA’S ONE YEAR IN OFFICE CELEBRATIONS AT HIS ANCESTRAL RURAL HOME IN ALEGO KOGELO APPEAR TO BE HEADING FOR A FLOP DUE TO FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS

Leave a reply

PRESIDENT OBAMA’S ONE YEAR IN OFFICE CELEBRATIONS AT HIS ANCESTRAL RURAL HOME IN ALEGO KOGELO APPEAR TO BE HEADING FOR A FLOP DUE TO FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS.

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Nyang’oma Kogelo.

The much highlighted one week festivities planned for Nyang’oma village in Alego Kogelo in Siaya appear to have attracted less enthusiastic crowd than it was last year. The celebrations end today, but so far, none of the expected dignitaries has turned up to grace the occasion.

It’s organizers have been forced to cut down some of the events, as well as the duration, which were originally slated to take one week, but have now been reduced to only four days.

The organizers, however, are still optimistic that the US Ambassador to Kenya, Mr. Michael Rennerberger, who was expected to attend, will still grace the event with his presence. Another important guest who was expected to attend is the Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, who is currently on an overseas tour, putting his possible attendance in doubt.

The organizers of the event, led by Alego Kogelo civic leader, Councilor Okeyo Omedo, who is also the chairman of the celebrations steering committee, revealed that his committee was facing financial constraints, and this is what has forced them to cut down the duration from one week to four days.

He disclosed that the committee had forwarded its request for funding to the Ministry of National Heritage, with a budget of Kshs one million, but only received Kshs 50,000 which is inadequate. Moreover, the corporations that they had requested to chip in something have yet to respond.

The event, which is meant to celebrate the US President Barrack Obama’s inauguration in Washington D.C as the first black President of the most powerful nation on earth, kicked off this with several teams of tribal dancers, musical bands, football teams arriving from various locations, within the locality.

Most of the events are being held at the Senator Barrack Obama Kogelo Primary School, which is less than a kilometer from the Obama’ ancestral home, and also few meters from Nyang’oma market.

Those already arrived and converged at the venue, are members of Jo-Kogelo sub-clans, who traveled back to their ancestral home from many other Luo locations as far away as Rongo, Nyatike, Tanzania, Kano plains, Asembo, Ndhiwa, Kasipul-Kabondo, Karachuoyo, Asembo, Kisumo and  other places. The majority of this sub-clan members are living in Southern  Nyanza.

Since President Obama’s ascension to the presidency of the United States of America, this particular community, which is scattered in many places, has been elevated and placed in the highest esteem by their fellow Luos.

The Jo-Kogelo sub-clan, though scattered in many places inside Luo-Nyanza, have produced two MPs in Parliament. The incumbent MP for Kisumu Town West, Hon John Olago Aluoch, is a descendant of the Kogelo sub-clan, and so is the former Bondo MP, John Ougo Ochieng’, the man who is in record and credited for having vacated his Bondo parliamentary seat in favor of the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga in the early 1980s. Hon Ougo Ochieng’ hails from Asembo Kabondo, a sub-clan whose members are also the descendant of the larger Jo-Kogelo.

There is also a big concentration of this particular community in East Sakwa Location, Awendo-Division in Rongo district, in Southern Nyanza. Others are also to be found in Central Kadem in Nyatike district as well as in parts of Kodera in West Kasipul, Karachuonyo. Members of the Kanyakwar sub-clan, which has a big concentration in East Kisumo Location, in the outskirt of Kisumu City are also inter-related to the Kogelo Groups. This is the sub-clan of the present Kisumu Town West MP, Hon John Olago Aluoch.

Other members of this now important sub-clan are living in the North Mara region of Tanzania

Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

Massive development achieved in Ndhiwa should serve as a role model to other constituencies

23 Replies

NDHIWA CONSTITUENCY IS THE ROLE MODEL OF MASSIVE DEVELOPMENT AND SUCCESS STORY IN  THE GREATER SOUTHERN NYANZA.

Ndhiwa  political profile By Leo Odera Omolo in Ndhiwa Town.

ONE typical good example of a rural parliamentary constituency in the larger greater Southern Nyanza, which has became the envy of every politician in the region is Ndhiwa, in the newly created Ndhiwa district {formerly Homa-Bay}.

Centrally situated in an area which is commonly known as “Milambo” or Ramba {Southern}, Ndhiwa has achieved record fast development within the shortest period, even surpassing neighboring  constituencies.

About sixteen years ago, Ndhiwa was one of the most backward rural constituencies in the region. But today, the area boost remarkable development and progress.

Thanks go to its hardworking and abrasive Member of Parliament, Joshau Orwa Ojode, whose sixteen years of representation of the area in parliament has turned the area into a bastion of food grains. It now boost ultra modern government aided secondary schools, close to eighteen full fledged and properly stocked health centers, and more than thirty one dispensary, dispensing medication to the population.

Ndiwa had only two administrative centers at its inception in 1962. At that time, it went under the name of Lambwe Constituency, and covered Mbita, and Gwasii constituencies and part of Nyatike constituencies.

Ndhiwa residents can be distributed into five major sub-clans, namely Kabuoch, Kanyamwa, Kwabwayi, Kanyidoto and Kanyikela.. Part of its original land, which covered Karungu Division, was sliced off Ndhiwa, and padded to the newly created Nyatike Constituency, in Nyatike district.

The two major sub-clans, namely Joka-Buoch and Jo-Kanyamwa, are interrelated with their cousins, Jo-Karungu and Jo-Kadem in Nyatike. These four major sub-clans consider themselves, together with their other cousins, Jo-Karachuonyo and Jo-Kasipul-Kabondo, as the indigenous people of Southern Nyanza. Together, they are better known as Joka-Chwanya and Joka-Onyango Rabala, who is a  brother to the great Rachuonyo. For years and ages, there was no inter-marriage between these sub-clans, who are all descendants of the Great Ramogi {III}, the son of Jok {II}. This only changed sometime in early 1940s.

Other clans are called Jo-Nyakal, meaning immigrant communities. They include Jo-Kwabwayi, Jo-Kanyikela, Jo-Koguta, Jokaguria. There are also Jo-Kajulu, Jokadhola, Maragoli, as well as settlers from other Luo sub-clans, like Jo-Uyoma, Jo-Kamenya and many others. But all form part of Ndhiwa population.

Jo-Kwabwai, the third largest sub-clans, have produced two Mps, Otieno Ogingo and Orwa Ojode, who are cousins. Kabuoch has produced one MP, namely the late Ocholla Makanyengo. Kanyamwa has produced one MP, Tom Okello Obondo. Zablon Owigo Olang is a member of the Jo-Karungu, the second largest community in Nyatike. Olang represented Ndhiwa when Kadem was part of Ndhiwa, and before it was split in the 1988, creating Nyatike and Ndhiwa.

In June 1963, the Indian trained economist and the former Principal of the ICFTU sponsored African Labor College in Kampala, Dr. Joseph Gordon Odero-Jowi, won the Lambwe constituency parliamentary seat on a KANU ticket.

But at the time, Kenya had a tri-cameral houses of parliament, namely the National Assembly and the Senate, under the Lancaster House Constitution, and also the Regional Assembly.

Both the Senate and Regional Assemblies were abolished as the result of several constitutional amendments in the National Assembly. A new parliamentary constituency was created  in order to accommodate Senator Selemiah Mbeo Onyango, who represented South Nyanza district, and thus became the birth of Mbita constituency.

Mbeo Onyango hails from Mfangano island, and was a close political associate of the late Tom Mboya, who hails from the neighboring Rusinga Island.The twin islands, together with Gwassi and Kakisingiri form the bulk of the heart of Luo-Abasuba people of Southerrn Nyanza.

Dr. Odero Jowi also switched to represent the newly created Ndhiwa constituency. Leaving Mbita for Sen Mbeo-Onyango, who became the MP for Mbita. This was in 1965.

So far Ndhiwa has had six different parliamentarians ever since its its inception. Dr.Odero-Jowi, however, lost his Ndhiwa seat in a bruising election campaign in 1969, while he was serving as the Minister for Economic Planning and Development. He had stepped into the shoes of political mentor and friend, the late Tom Mboya, who was assassinated in a Nairobi street on July 5,1969.

In that year’s general election, the Luo voters voted massively against all MPs from the community who were serving in KANU government, particularly members the of the cabinet, headed by the founding President, the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta. This was a protesting vote, as the community suspected the Mboya killing to be a state affair.

In that year’s general election, Matthews Otieno Ogingo, a former Vice chairman of the Nyanza Regional Assembly, who had also been elected in 1963 as the Ndhiwa member of the Nyanza Regional Assembly, trounced in  Dr.Odero -Jowi in 1969, in a controversial election victory. But Odero Jowi moved to the High Court, challenging Otieno Ogingo’s election victory on some legal technicalities. Ogingo’s election was nullified and a by-election called. But in the subsequent by-election, Otieno Ogingo won for the second time, this time round beating Odero Jowi with a much larger margin than in the previous election, when he had scored a thin majority.

After losing his Ndhiwa seat in Parliament, Dr. Odero-Jowi was later to be appointed by President Jomo Kenyatta to become Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, where he was instrumental in winning for Kenya the UN- UNEP headquarters, to be located in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

Dr. Odero-Jowi returned to Kenya before the 1974 general election, and recaptured his seat, beating Ogingo and seven other candidates hands down on a KANU ticket. But this time around he did not complete his tenure. He absconded and abandoned the seat in 1977, joining the UN agency in Canada. Once again, a  by-election was called, and a former senior police officer, Zablon Owigo Olang’ (Gogni} won the by election comfortably.

Owigo-Olang’ successfully defended his seat in the 1979 general election, and was later appointed an Assistant Minister in the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, under the former Attorney General, Charles Mugane Njonjo as the Minister in charge.

But shortly afterward, in 1983, a group of KANU hardline parliamentarians began pointing an accusing finger at Njonjo, alleging that he was plotting  to overthrow President Moi with the help of foreign mercenaries. Olang’, with other MPs and his boss Njonjo were dismissed from the cabinet, and were also expelled by the then ruling  KANU. They were, however, allowed to remain MPs until later the same year. Following the snap election called by Moi to consolidate his power, after parting company with Njonjo, his political mentor until 1983, most of those classified by Moi’s men as Njonjo sympathizers and supporters were eventually rigged out of Parliament.

A former trade unionist and Jaramogi Odinga Odinga loyalist, the late Phillip Ochola Ogaye Makanyengo thus won the Ndhiwa seat on a KANU ticket, and was made an Assistant minister for foreign Affairs. Makanyengo, however, died half way before completing his term. His death paved the way for the return to Parliament of Matthew Otieno Ogingo, in the consequent by-election.

Ogingo also was made an Assistant Minister for Health. But he lost his seat once again during the first multi-party election of 1992, when Tom Okello Obondo won the same seat on a Ford-Kenya ticket, under the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, but immediately crossed the floor and defected back to KANU. In the by-election that followed Obondo’s defection, Joshua Orwa Ojode won the seat.

Ojode was later to win a popular vote in 1997 and repeated the same in 2002 and 2007. His repeated election victories are good signs of the highest esteem on which the electorate in Ndhiwa hold him, and a reward for his hard work to the community.

Bordering six other constituencies of Gwassi in the West, Nyatike in the South, Uriri in the southeast, Rongo in the East, Rangwe in the North and Mbita in the northwest, Nhiwa is one area which is endowed with good rainfall all the year round. It has good fertile and arable land that produces many cash crops like bananas, maize, vegetables, sorghum, millet.

Its rainfalls originate from Kitutu Chache, from Nyakoe River and Manga Hills, and traverse the river, which in Bonchari and inside Luo-Nyanza is known as Riana River. The rains traverse the Riana Valley, winding up in Kuja river, around Oria and Kanyikela areas.

A number of farmers have introduced modern farming in the area, like rearing much economically valued dairy grade animals, though the majority still keep the old zebu native cows.

Ndhiwa farmers are also growing sugar cane in large quantity, but have been complaining bitterly about the exorbitant cost of transport charges, when they deliver their crops to the Awendo-based SONY SUGAR factory, which is located about 40 to 50 kilometers away.

The problem, however, will soon be the thing of the past. A private company known as Sukar Limited is currently constructing a medium size white sugar factory in Ndhiwa, at a places called Paw-Otange, on a piece of land formerly owned by the County Council of South Nyanza. Once the factory is in full production, it will consume most of the sugar cane grown in Ndhiwa. This is expected to improve the money circulation in the area, as well as creating close to 2000 new jobs. More people will also earn money indirectly, either working as casuals, contracted cane cutters, transporters, food sellers and many other trades, and the factory is expected to improve the economy of the agriculturally rich region.

The establishment of a white sugar processing factory, which is estimated to cost approximately Kshs 20 billions, and which will produce close to 3000 tons of made sugar per day, is the brainchild of the industrious and hard working Ndhiwa MP, Joshua Orwa Ojode.

Politically, Ndhiwa is one of the ODM’s stronghold regions. Orwa Ojode is always in the forefront in articulating issues affecting the party, and at times effectively defending the party leader, Raila Odinga, in an overzealous manner and to the hilt.

A most interesting thing happened to Ojode’s career soon after the referendum voting in 2005 , when President Mwai Kibaki dismissed the entire cabinet. Kibaki subsequently made a shocking announcement, excluding Raila Odinga and other Ministers who supported the Orange movement against the Banana movement during the referendum campaign period.

Surprisingly, the President kept only Orwa Ojode in his new look cabinet, as the new Minister for Environment and Wildlife. But Orwa Ojode, in solidarity with his dismissed colleagues, outrightly rejected and declined the appointment.

But when Raila Odinga and President Mwai Kibaki formed the coalition government under the national accord, Mr Odinga did not consider Orwa Ojode for any cabinet position. Instead he named Dalmas Otieno,  the MP for Rongo, to the cabinet, and also surprisingly named Gerald Otieno Kajwang’ as the new Immigraton Minister.

Politically observers and pundits had expected Ojode to clinch a full cabinet position due to his seniority, and having served in the previous Narc cabinet, as an Assistant Minister for Education, while Kajwang had not served in the government. Dalmas Otieno had also just joined the ODM, after many years of association with Moi and KANU.

Ojode was made an Assistant Minister for Internal Security, but the strange change of attitude towards him by Agwambo definitely demoralized Ojode, and killed his morale of patriotism and solidarity.

But his humiliation from Raila may have started during the ODM party’s grassroots and national elections. A local woman, who had no significant backing and support in Ndhiwa  was posted to humiliate Ojode and even allegedly provided with armed bodyguards. The same woman was beaten hands down by Ojode in the 2007 elction, when she pulled 12,000 votes against Ojodeh’s 48,000, but she immediately moved to court, arguing that she had won the Ndhiwa seat, but was robbed of her election victory by the defunct Electoral Commission of Kenya{ECK}. She was covertly backed in her undertaking allegedly by members of Raila Odinga’s family, and close political associates, and the entire people of Southern Nyanza read malice.

The abrasive Ndhiwa MP is improving his popularity in the area almost everyday. His track record and effort in securing jobs for Luo youths in the government, especially in the armed forces, and other institutions, has placed him almost equal to the late Tom Mboya and the late Hezekiah Oyugi, the former PS in the Office of the President, in the eyes of his constituents. There is always beehives of activities, as  many youths and job seekers are always milling around his offices, whereas one doesn’t find the same crowd outside other Luo Minister’s offices in Nairobi.

Ojode, however, despite the common knowledge that he was relegated to a junior position by Raila Odinga in his cabinet appointment, does not speak openly against Mr.Raila Odinga, whom he regarded as good man and political friend and an associate. But he maintains privately, that perhaps “Agwambo” is surrounded by people of bad gossips, who hang around him.

At one time during the funeral of Mrs Felgona Okundi,  ther late wife of the former Rangwe MP, Eng. Phillip Okoth Okundi, from the blue moon, Raila Odinga’s elder brother, Dr Oburu Oginga, the MP for Bondo, surprisingly  launched scathing criticism of Ojode, an attack which not only shocked but also puzzled many mourners. Many residents of Rangwe constituency where the funeral was held and from the larger Southern Nyanza could not believe what they were hearing.

The attack came only a few days after Ojopde had told his colleagues during the funeral of the former Kasipul-Kabondo MP, Eng Peter Otieno Owidi, that its time the Luo abandon the idea of boycotting every successive government in this country, and find out other avenues of working closely with the government. He made this remarks only weeks after he had declined a cabinet post offered to him by President Kibaki., a sacrifice, which Ojodeh made in solidarity with Raila Odinga, and other ODM Ministers who had been sacked by the President.

The attack by Dr Oburu against Ojode at a funeral place created a feeling that members of the Odinga family are intolerant of anyone with diverse opinion. Dr Oburu remarks are always considered as reflecting the inner and feeling and attitudes of the Odinga family.

After the two incidents, some busy bodies, power-brokers and  the so-called political demagogues, claiming to be close to the Prime Minister were heard talking ill of the Ndhiwa hard working MP, alleging that he was wrecking the unity and solidarity of the Luos. But when William Ruto visited Ugenya and conducted Harambee for the area MP James Aggrey Orengo, nobody pointed an accusing finger against Orengo of undermining the unity of the Luos.

When the same Minister Ruto visited Ndhiwa and raised Kshs 3 million for the SDA churches last Ocrober, the talks filled the air in Kisumu and its environs that Ojode has become one of the ODM rebels MPS gravitating around the Minister for Agriculture, William Ruto.

In an interview with this writer last week, Ojode denied having bad blood with the Prime Minister. “My primary duty is to serve the Ndhiwa electorate to their satisfaction and by so doing I am a busy man. I really don’t have time of making any bad gossiping against Mr. Odinga. We have remained dear friends for many years, and we will continue helping each other politically and otherwise”, he said.

The Assistant Minister, however, admitted that he suspected an unnamed member of the Odinga family as the one spreading the hate gossips between him and the PM.

The same person peddling bad gossip between him and the Prime Minister is also the person responsible for sponsoring his opponents during the elections But the electorate in Ndhiwa are very much aware of these dirty political maneuvers and machinations, which stands no chance of succeeding in Ndhiwa.

Ojode, however is highly credited for having turned an area which was hitherto considered as the most backward, into a role model of massive development within sixteen years of his representation in Parliament.

Ends
LeooderaomoLo@yahoo.com

President Barack Obama’s first year anniversary to be celebrated at his Kogelo, Kenya ancestral home.

Leave a reply

THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA’S INAUGURATION AS USA PRESIDENT WILL BE CELEBRATED AT HIS KOGELO NYANG’OMA HOME WITH CULTURAL AND SPORTS FESTIVITIES.

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

The first anniversary of the US President Barack Obama’s inauguration will be celebrated with cultural and sporting events and other activities in his ancestral Nyang’oma Kogelo backyard, in Siaya district, Western Kenya.

The activities lined up for the four day event, slated to start from January 16 to the 20th, include football tournaments involving local teams, athletic meetings, and tribal wrestling contest. Volunteer doctors will also perform male circumcisions and free HIV/AIDS test and counseling.

The swearing in and inauguration of President Barack Obama last year attracted thousands of people from all walks of life to his Kogelo home. It was then that the Kenya government declared it an annual event in honor of the US President, whose family root is in Alego Kogelo.

The declaration was made last year, following a visit by Kenya’s National Heritage Minister, William Ole Ntimama, in the company of his entire top Ministry officials, to the Obama’s rural home, which is located only a kilometer outside Nyang’oma market in Alego Kogelo.

Among the dignitaries invited to grace this year’s event is the Prime Minister Raila Odinga, National Heritage Minister William Ole Ntimama, cabinet ministers, and assistant ministers, MPs and the US Ambassador to Kenya, Mr Michael  Reinebrger.

Briefing members of the press, the chairman of the preparation committee, which is organizing the event, Councilor  Okeyo Omedo, said a major Harambee fund raising, to finance the event, will be held during the coming weekend. Councilor Omedo was accompanied by a senior cultural officer from the Ministry of National Heritage headquarters in Nairobi, Dorcas Ondiege.

The press briefing session was held at the Senator Obama Kogelo Primary School compound, which will host the events.

It was also evident that the entire Nyang’oma Kogelo village is in a festive mood. Kiosk owners, petty traders and shop keepers were seen stocking their stores to the capacity, anticipating a good turn out to the anniversary celebrations.

This year’s event is unlike last year, when the government of Kenya dished out the sums of Kshs 200,000 soon after president Obama won the US elections, in support of the inaugural festivities at Nyang’oma. So far, there has been no word from the Ministry as to whether the committee will be receiving any funding from the government for this year’s event, prompting the local committee to think otherwise. This has also prompted the local community to look for an alternative way of raising funds for the events.

The two commended the Nairobi based STANDARD group of newspapers for having provided  last year’s ceremony with a big television screen, which thousands of people watched live as President Barack Obama was inaugurated and sworn in, in Washington DC, in the US.

The venue of celebrations is less than a kilometers to the Obama’s rural country home. It is also adjacent to Barack Obama Kogelo Secondary School, and not far from Nyang’oma Market.

In between the market and the Obama ‘s family home, a medium size hotel has sprung up, which would be offering accommodation to tourist from abroad and locals. The hotel investment is the brainchild of a Nairobi and Siaya businessman, Nicholas Otieno Rajula, who is a cousin to the Obamas.

And, as part of its envisaged plan to resuscitate the 40 year old sleeping Tourist Circuit in Western Kenya, the government, through the Tourist Board and other interested private sector, has plans to establish a full fledged hotel in the region. Its exact location is yet to be determined. This will be in addition to the earmarked Obama Community Centre, within the same vicinity.

A visit to Nyang’oma Market by this writer revealed remarkable improvement of facilities. The hitherto dusty market place, with small kiosks and shops built of temporary makeshift materials, is now the home of several ultra-modern business premises, and more are on the offing.

The market, which is situated on the hilltop, in an area overlooking River Yala, is promising to be one of the busiest trading centres in the region, with the fastest growth in the near future. It has attracted local investors, who are putting all kinds of commercial premises and eating houses.

Ends

Carrying of weapons banned along the Luo-Maasai border areas

1 Reply

THE GOVERNMENT HAS BANNED THE CARRYING OF WEAPONS ALONG THE VOLATILE LUO-MAASAI BORDER, AND ORDERED THE SURRENDER OF ALL ILLEGAL GUNS WITHIN TWO WEEKS.

News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

The government has banned the carrying of all kinds of weapons in public places along the entire border of Rongo districts, and at the same time told those holding illegally acquired firearms to surrender them to the security agents within two weeks period of time, or else face the music.

These were parts of the contentious resolutions passed at a well attended border meeting held at Angaga market on the Rongo-Trans-Mara district border. The meeting was called to reconcile the two warring Maasai and Luo communities

Cabinet Minister Dalmas Otieno, and the Southern Nyanza and South Rift regional commissioners Erastur Ekidor and Naftally Munyadhia attended the meeting. Also in attendance were the Trans-Mara and Rongo District Commissioners, as well as district police chiefs.

This is the border area where two people were killed after being shot with arrows, when skirmishes erupted between the Maasais and Luos.

The dispute, according to police and administration sources, was over the parcel of land plot, which a Luo farmer is said to have bought over 40 years ago, and settled  his family on. An administration chief, whose location is lying along the border area, is said to have developed the interest on the piece of land, and has been the tool of incitement, pitting the two communities.

The latest skirmishes came hardly two months after the previous clashes, which resulted in the death of two people, and close to 16 houses torched on both sides of the volatile border.

During the incident on Sunday morning, a large number of people believed to be Maasai morans, armed with a mixture of lethal weapons, launched a surprise dawn attack against the sleeping Luo villages, and killed two people among the Luos.  Several hundreds of acres of sugar cane, both mature and immature were also set ablaze in the fields.

The government immediately dispatched a contingent of General Service Unit {GSU}, to supplement the regular and administration police teams already on the ground, to calm the situation. Both the Trans-Mara and Rongo D.C’s also rushed to the border and held the meeting, and appealed to the combatants from both sides to lay down their arms and allow the government to sort out the messes
The two Regional Commissioners announced their banning of carrying of weapons in the area, and also the surrender of all illegal firearms within two weeks.

Before the public rally took place, Dalmas Otieno, who is the Minister for Public Services, and the two teams held a close door meeting, which lasted for four hours, while members of the public waited patiently at the meeting venue.

 In his address, Mr. Otieno told the Luos and the Maasais to live peacefully and harmoniously, respecting each other’s constitutional and legal rights to live in any part of the country, so long as the land on which one is living on is legally acquired.

The Minister said he had consulted widely with cabinet colleague, the Minister for Internal Security, Prof. George Saitoti, and his Kilgoris counterpart Gideon Konchellah, and all agreed that peace and tranquility must be maintained at all costs. The use of private militia by anyone community against their neighbor is not permitted by the law, said the Minister.

Mr Otieno announced that three more police posts would be established along the borderline, so that the security agents can monitor the area, with the view to ensure that peace prevailed, and nobody is harassed. The move will also ensure an end to constant skirmishes along the border. He told the residents to resolve their disputes, even those affecting land, amicably and through the established court of laws, instead of resorting to the use of violence.

As a result of last Sunday skirmishes, a location chief is in policed custody, and the Nyanza P.C, Johnson Mutie, has confirmed that the chief would soon appear in court to answer charges of incitement.

Contacted, the Security Assistant Minister, Joshua Orwa Ojode said that anyone arrested and charged in court with the offense of inciting Kenyans against each other, must be interdicted immediately if such a person is a civil servant. He said that is what the law says, and added his voice to the two communities to maintain law and order, and to discard those inciting them for personal gains and interests.

Last Monday, a team of CID police arrested Chief SamsonOle Muntet of Olontury Location, that lies along the borderline between Nyanza and Rift Valley.

The Nyanza P.C, Johnson Mutie, confirmed that he chief would soon appear in court to answer the charges of incitement. The police were also looking for other persons including, another chief, suspected to be war-mongers along the border areas.

Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

TWO MORE PEOPLE DIE AS MAASAI AND LUO FIGHT OVER LAND DISPUTES

1 Reply

TWO MORE PEOPLE DIE AS THE MAASAI-LUO  TRIBAL CLASHES FLARE UP AGAIN ALONG THE RONGO-TRANS-MARA BORDER AREA

Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Awendo Town

Two people were killed on Sunday morning and scores of others injured, while dozens of houses were torched in fresh tribal clashes, which flared up along the Rongo-Trans-Mara border.

Those killed were shot with arrows, but there are unconfirmed accounts of eye-witnesses, who alleged that some of the combatants from the Massai side of the border were armed with guns.

An administrative chief on the border location is among the scores of people said to have been arrested and taken into police custody on suspicion of incitement.

Chief Samson Ole Mutet of Olontury Location in Trans-Mara district, according to the Migori OCPD Eric Mugambi, was picked up at his home on Monday night, by a team of CID police from Migori, and taken into police custody.

This is the second tribal flare up this year in the area near Angaga border trading center, which is bordering Kamagambo, South of Rongo district. The first skirmishes occurred three months ago. The dispute was over the burial place for a Luo man, who had purchased land on the Trans-Mara side of the border, and settled there with his family for close to 45 years.

The Nyanza Provincial Commissioner, Francis Mutie, last night confirmed the arrest of the Chief, and said the administrator would soon appear in court on charges of incitement.

The Chief, whose location is lying along the borderline separating the two Provinces of Nyanza and Rift Valley, is alleged to be the architect of the frequent clashes between the two communities over land issues, even those  matters which had already been dealt with by courts and resolved, or are in the process of being sorted out in a court of law.

Speaking at his Rongo office, the area D.C, Mr Antony Osiya announced that a public rally aimed at reconciling the two communities will be held in the affected border area on Wednesday. The meting will be attended by the two P.Cs, one from the Rift Valley, and the other one from Nyanza Province. Also expected at the meeting are the D.Cs from Trans-Mara and from Migori and Rongo districts.

The administrators will be joined at the rally by the two MPs representing the two constituencies, Hon Dalmas Otieno, the Minister for Public Service, who is also the Rongo MP, and his Kilgoris counterpart, Hon Gideon Konchellah, on the Trans-Mara district side of the volatile border. The two MPs are on record for having preached for peace in the area, and asked their constituents to co-exist in harmony.

The latest clashes came hardly two months after the first incident in which two men lost their lives. It was sparked by an issue involving the burial site for a Luo man who had bought a farm in Maasai community about 40 years ago, and had settled on the piece of the land with his family.

The Maasais, on the alleged incitement by their Chief, insisted that the deceased could not be buried in his homestead, and this forced his family to exhume the already buried body, which was later buried elsewhere.

 In that particular incident the two Luos succumbed to the injuries inflicted on them when they were shot with poisoned arrows by the Maasais in a surprise night  attack.

In that incident, close to 16 houses were torched and several mature and immature sugar cane, worth thousands of shillings were also set a blaze and burnt down to ashes.

In the latest flare ups, more than 40 houses were set ablaze, plus immature sugar cane of unknown quantity in the field burnt.

The Rongo D.C. said a contingent of the crack General Service Unit {GSU) were rushed to the border area near Angaga, Nyamaiya, Sikawa and Ochodororo markets to supplement the patrol team of regular and administration police teams, which were already on the ground.

At the same time, the chairman of Awendo Town Council, Mr Johnson Omolo Owiro, has appealed to the government  to solve whatever the cause of the problem is. He said the government has the means and the ability to resolve the land issue once and for all. He appealed to the residents of both sides of the border to refrains from actions which border on crimes.

Coun Owiro’s appeal came amid unconfirmed reports that youths from the Rongo side of the border were regrouping and mobilizing themselves to stage counter-attacks by way of blocking all the roads linking the two districts to stop the Maasais from visiting marketplaces and trading centers on the Luo side of the border.

The youth also had planned to block the access and feeder roads used by tractors from the nearby Awendo based SONYSUGAR factory from transporting mature cane crops from Trans-Mara district.

One unidentified youth leader was heard saying that if the tractors from the Maasai side of the border were stopped from delivering the raw cane to the factory, this would paralyze the area economically and bring the belligerent Maasais back to their senses, so that they could stop uncalled for attacks on the peace loving Luos living on the Rongo side, and even those who bought land on the Maasai side, and settled their families there.

The district produces a lot of sugar cane, which the Maasai farmers deliver to the  nearby Awendo based white sugar factory, earning members of that community millions of shillings annually. The Luo youths want to hit the Masaais economically by blocking all the roads linking the area to the sugar factory.

The senseless attacks, according to those privy to information on the ground, are not politically motivated, but occur out of greed and selfish individual interests, on the land transactions between members of the two communities. The Maasais are said to be fond of changing their minds after voluntarily selling their land to members of the neighboring communities who are more enterprising in farming. These neighboring communities, after buying the land, immediately turn the newly acquired land to intensive food production, in contrast to the Nomadic lives of the Maasai, who are cattle herders.

The problems with the Maasais exists, not just with their Luo neighbors, but also between the Maasais and the Kisii, Kuria and even the Kipsigis who crossed into the Maasailand from Kipsigis land, and settled in Trans-Mara district. This has become the source of security problems in the area almost every year.

Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

Western Erotic techniques leads to divorce in a Kenya Village

9 Replies

Oyugis Woman says NO to husband’s new sex techniques.
Collins Odhiambo
Wed, Dec 23, 2009

What started as a mere bedroom squabble between a husband and his wife ended up with the woman leaving her matrimonial home.

The incident took place in Kasipul-Kabondo constituency on the outskirts of Oyugis town two Saturdays ago. The 39-year-old woman left after her husband, whom it later emerged is a porn addict, forced her to adopt new sex styles, 11 years after they got married.

According to a neighbour, the couple’s conflicting sexual preferences resulted in regular quarrels and fights.

Reading mischief in the husband’s sudden transformation, the woman reported it to the village elders and accused him of being unfaithful. According to the woman, the husband must have been cheating on her to learn such “weird styles”. The mother of two said the man was forcing her into positions that could make her throw up. “I have been asking him where he learnt such things, but he has refused to explain, and instead beat me up, insisting that I have to be flexible like other women, or cease to be his wife,” she complained.

According to the husband, they had lived for 11 years without a baby boy and he believed his new styles would work wonders.

Although the elders acknowledged he had a right to sex, they were unwilling to listen to his explanations because he had a poor reputation in the village. The man, who in his late 40’s, is a former primary school teacher, and was sacked over sexual scandals. According to an elder, the man was fired two years ago for attempting to defile a minor of nine.

Elders’ decision
The elders’ decision to force him to confess produced unanticipated results. After being whipped in front of women and children, the man pleaded for mercy and accepted to confess.

“I beg you people to forgive me so that I can confess. I watch pornographic films every evening at Oyugis town but I am not being unfaithful,” pleaded the man.

That evening the area chief, accompanied by the elders stormed the video show to see for themselves what went on there. To their surprise, there were rooms where men spent time with the young girls who usually attend the show.

The chief and his entourage impounded pornographic cassettes and magazines. Scores of young men and women were arrested. The video owner has since been arraigned in court.

The incident, which has been the talk of the village, has elicited mixed reactions. Many people have not been shy to give their opinion. According to a local council aspirant, pornography is the manual for exciting sex. However, staunch Christians think otherwise. According to them, pornography is to blame for the moral decadence in the region.

Meanwhile, the man’s wife has left with her two daughters to her parents’ home, saying she could not live with such a lecher who might soon turn to his own children. The man’s in-laws have refused to return the dowry, saying that it was their compensation after suffering disgrace from the man’s behavior.

Merry Xmas

Karachuonyo is a potential tourist destination in Western Kenya begging to be developed

11 Replies

KARACHUONYO CONSTITUENCY POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC HISTORY AND ITS POTENTIALITY AS A TOURIST DESTINATION IN THE FUTURE.

Second Profile By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

A political history of Karachuonyo constituency cannot be complete and comprehensive without mentioning one of Luo political giants of yester-years and a fallen hero.

This is the legendary Daniel Ojijo Oteko, who waged a war against the British Colonial rule in Kenya.

Ojijo Oteko died in suspicious and mysterious circumstances in 1944 at the peak of his active agitation against the country’s colonizers. His death arose suspicion that he was murdered by the British colonial masters.

At the time of his death, he had traveled to Kisumu. His mission, according to those privy to his story, was to have his nagging and painful teeth removed at the old Nyanza General Hospital. He was expected back home the same day. But this was never to be so. The great Ojijo Oteko was never to be seen alive again.

The information received by the family at home indicated that this great nationalist had died while in an operation theatre for the removal of one of his rotted teeth. The death raised eyebrows with the local people.

But what fueled most trouble and suspicion was the manner in which his dead body was handled by the Colonial Administration. It was brought back home under heavy police and soldiers guard. The coffin was completely sealed. Nobody was allowed to come close to the coffin. His wailing wife and relatives were kept at bay, at a safe distance by the soldiers, who had cocked their guns at the ready, to deal with anyone moving close to the graveside.

Up to this day, no one could tell whether the casket containing the remains of the late Daniel Ojijo Oteko was entered into his grace, which was later well cemented, with a concrete cross and inscription of his names, next to Wagwe-Pala road. And it was no surprise that some mischievous thugs recently dug out the body and stole it.

The rumors making the round at the time, was that Daniel Ojijo Oteko was injected with drugs that induced death by sleep, and that his head was separated from the rest of his body and sent to the UK, in similar fashion as the colonialists had done with the great Nandi Orkoyiot {Laibon} koitalel Arap Samoei in 1905, after he was lured into a fake reconciliation meeting and shot dead by a white officer.

Daniel Ojijo Oteko served the colonialists as a telegraphic officer at Maseno. There he linked up with early Luo nationalists like John Paul Olola, Barrack Owuor, Nathan Ojungo Otumba, Nyamunga Gor and others, and formed what was first known as Kavirondo Taxpayers Association around 1922, and became its Secretary General in 1926. The Association became popular by the name “Piny Owacho”, which loosely translates as “The Country has said”.
The Association is reputed to have established the link with the much more radical and aggressive Kikuyu Central Association{KCA}, led by the late Hurry Thuku.

Ojijo left Maseno and settled in his native rural home at Kanjira in West Karachuonyo. His leadership quality  was quickly realized by the local population who elected him to the African Local Native Council {ALNC}.

The visit to Karachuonyo by the KCA leaders from Central Province made Daniel Ojijo Oteko a marked man under security surveillance for twenty four hours. On one occasion, as the story goes, and this happened at the peak of the Second World War, Ojijo Oteko was walking towards his home. On the way, somewhere near Wagwe Health Centre, he met with  soldiers driving a large herd of cattle, which were seized from their owners at gun-point.

The soldiers were under the command of a white officer in the rank of a District Officer, a Mr Morgan Walker from the Kisii D.C’s Office. Ojijo Oteko inquired about where the animals were being taken to, and was told that the animals were destined for Kisii, and would eventuality be slaughtered, and the beef taken  for feeding the African soldiers fighting alongside the British and allied forces, fighting against Adolf Hitler’s German forces.

Ojijo Oteko engaged the DO in classic queens English, telling the white officer how Karachuonyo community had contributed hundreds of young soldiers to the KAR, and as such cannot part with their animals. He ordered the animals be returned to their rightful owners.

The heated argument alarmed the soldiers, who were armed with guns. They got scared, and sensing the danger of possible rioting by the natives, the white officer concurred with Ojjo Oteko, and released the animals back to their rightful owners. This was the turning point in the life of the late Ojijo Oteko, as the colonialists, working in cohort with their local chiefs and collaborators, increased their surveillance on him wherever  he went.

This particular incident also earned him a nick name “Ojijo polo Mor Yimbo”, which loosely translates {Ojijo the thunderstorm is roaring in the west}.

A year later, he was pronounced dead and buried secretly under heavy armed guards.

Karachuonyo Tourism potential
Karachuonyo is an area which is potentially important as a tourist destination in Western Kenya. It is a place, which is filled with pre-historic scenarios, like the volcanic lake “Simbi Nyaima”, the crocodile shaped rock which is located on the hill top near Kadel in Kibiri area, the hot spring which produces Bala mineral salt for animal feed on the eastern slopes of Huma-Hill. The hill has many folklore and folk tales. The Kipsigis community calls it “Tiluet ab Kumiyat” loosely translates {The Hill of Honey}.

Simbi Nyaima lake is the seasonal home of the ever migrating flamingos from other places like Lake Nakuru, Lake Baringo, Lake Natron and other lakes in the Rift Valley. The bird sojourns the lake once every year and then flies out. Deep and strikingly smelling, lake Simbi Nyaima is not suitable for swimming, as it is said to be the deepest, and has some internal connection with Lake Victoria, although its waters are salty.

The geological story of Simbi Nyaima differs sharply with  the tales of the local communities. The volcanic lake is as old as  six centuries. It came about as a result of tremor or earthquake accompanied by volcanic eruption, perhaps in 1680, according to geologists and technical experts.

But according to the local community, Simbi Nyaima was a curse and bad omen brought upon a community which was greedy and full of arrogance.

It is said that an ugly and starving woman had visited the village at Kolonde, near Lake Simbi Nyaima, and asked to be given shelter and food. She came when the villagers were  busy feasting on native alcohol {beer} in a homestead, and animals were also slaughtered.

On seeing the dirty and ugly woman, the villagers sent her away. Her attempt to get food was thwarted by the work of several able bodied men, who gave her escort out of the beer hall and homestead.

The dirty, ugly woman took shelter in the next homestead, where she found a young woman with her four children. This particular woman gave her food, and after she had warmed herself around the fire place, the ugly woman asked the woman if she was married. She replied in the affirmative, and the ugly woman instructed her to go to the beer hall and call her husband.

The young woman did that, but when she told her husband that it was the ugly woman the group had expelled from the beer hall who was calling him, the husband slapped his wife and sent her parking.

She went back to her children and narrated the incident to the ugly old woman. The ugly woman, in turn asked the woman to collect all her children and that they should leave the home as quickly as they could.

They did this, and no sooner had they stepped out of the village than followed a heavy downpour, accompanied by lightening. It rained continuously for twenty four hours, and the whole village was flooded, and the people at the beer party all got drowned in the water. The people and their domesticated animals perished.

And that is the  genetics of the lake “Simbi”. The events happened  during the time when the inhabitants of the area were the Luo sub-clan called Jo-Waswa, who were the earliest inhabitants of what is today called Karachuonyo. They were followed immediately by Jo-Wagwe, Jo-Kagan and others, with jo-Karachuonyo, the largest group, arriving much later, followed by the Jo-Kano groups.

The Jo-Waswa are today scattered all over Luo-Nyanza, and the bulk of them live in the North Mara or Tarime district in Tanzania. Few of them are also scattered amongst the Jo-Kano sub-clans.

The Kendu-Bay Pier, which was built by the defunct East African Railways and harbors in the early 1930s could be used as a jetty for both motorized boats and steamers as well as big ships. And even for water sporting purposes. It used to be the place for calling steamers and lighters, which were ferrying grains from Southern Nyanza for storage by the NCPB in Kisumu. But for close to two decades, what used to be one of the busiest piers in Lake Victoria is now idle.

There is plenty of scenery for birds watching. What is required is the implementation of the forty year old sleeping Western Kenya Tourist Circuit, which was formulated as a tourist attraction policy in 1966, but which has never been put into effective use.

Another industry, which has yet to be fully exploited is the doormats making processes around Otok, Kiltal  and other places in Central and East Karachuonyo.

As for communications, these important roads need to be upgraded to be all weather:
(1)The road leading from Kendu-Bay Kanyadhiang’ Bridge to Pala in West.
(2)The road crossing the West from Pala via Gogo back to the main Homa-Bay Kendu Bay road at Kandiege.
(3)The Oyugis Kendu-Bay road via Kosele.
(4)Gendia Mawego-Kadongo road.
(5)Mawego-Rakwaro and Mawego Sino-Kagolla-Sikri road.
(6)Mawego-Kadongo as well as Mawego-Rakwaro.
(7)Mawego-Kokwanyo-Sikri and back to the main Kidumu –Oyugis Kisii road.
(8)Another important link is the Kadiedo-Omboga-Karabok road and so many other small feeder rand access roads.

Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

UDM party leader General Koech condemns the authors of hate leaflets in Kericho

4 Replies

THE AUTHORS AND DISTRIBUTORS OF TRIBAL HATE LEAFLETS IN KERICHO TOWN AND ITS ENVIRONS HAVE COME UNDER SEVEREST CONDEMNATION BY TOP UDM LEADER.

Leo Odera Omolo Report in Kericho Town {Monday 21st,2009}

The United Democratic Movement [UDM}leadership has come out in full force with wholesale condemnation of the authors and distributors of tribal hate leaflets in Kericho Town and its environs.

The party leader Lt. Gen {rtd} John Arap Koech said he was disturbed and sickened when he received the information that some cowards were dropping hate leaflets, threatening members of a certain community, asking them to leave the district.

“Whoever is responsible for this kind of intimidation should be investigated and brought to book. Kenyan citizens must feel free to work and live in any part of the country, irrespective of their party of affiliation. The country need a breathing space and break from the 2008 post election violence ,which left this country in rubbles and dust. Therefore, anybody advocating violence should consider himself or themselves to be the enemies number of Kenyan people”, said Koech.

UDM is the second most popular political party in the South Rift after the ODM, and its national chairman said the party is only preaching the gospel of cohesion and peaceful co-existence of the Kenyan communities.

He added that he is vehemently opposed to anyone using the on going Mau eviction as an instrument for frustrating members of a certain community. “What have those Luos, picking tea in the tea companies, have got to do with the Mau Forest saga, to warrant their expulsion from the region?”, he asked.

The retired former Deputy Chief of the General Staff{CGS} said the authors and distributors of the tribal hate leaflets have displayed their political naivety and primitiveness. “And such cowardice actions could be counterproductive”, said the General.

The UDM popularity and strength in the South Rift region was exhibited in the three by-elections held last year in Ainamoi, Sotik and Bomet constituencies. It performed miraculously in Kiligoris, in the Trans-Mara district. In all the three by-elections, UDM candidates gave the ODM aspirants a run for their money, and even performed better than KANU  and PNU.

Gen Koech said that all these are clear indications that UDM is making major inroads in the South Rift region. The party, he said is looking for better things in 2012.His party stands for the unity of purpose of all Kenyan communities.

The party has only one MP in the current. She is Prof. Hellen Sambili, the Sports Minister and is looking forward to clinch more parliamentary seats in the 2012. It is currently involved in revitalization and mobilization, as well as membership drive throughout the Republic of Kenya. “We are soon opening branches in Central Kenya, Eastern, Western, Nyanza and at the Coast, in readiness for the 2012 general elections”, said the General.

Meanwhile, a group of Kalenjin politicians in Kericho have faulted the Vice President, Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka, and accused him of being responsible for the on-going divisions and split in the ODM..The Vice President, they alleged, is playing dangerous political games of divide and rule, hoping to capitalize on the on-going stand-off in ODM. But the ODM, they said would come out of it much stronger than ever before.

Led by a Kericho Municipal Councillor, Nicholas Tum, they appealed to level headed politicians in the South Rift to give the government sufficient time to sort out things amicably in the Mau.”We are aware that some wicked politicians are out there to capitalize on Mau issue to bring down the Prime Minister. But Raila Odinga has our backing and he is our man”, Mr. Tum said.

Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

Leaflets threatening Luos to leave Kericho before Xmas hit the streets

5 Replies

LEAFLETS WARNING THE LUOS TO LEAVE KERICHO REGION BEFORE CHRISTMAS WERE DROPPED ALONG THE TOWN’S MAIN R0AD ON SATURDAY MORNING

Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

Police in Kericho town are reported to be actively investigating the source and authors of  leaflets, which were dropped in town over the weekend, warning members of the Luo community to leave the region before Christmas.

The undated and unsigned leaflets were dropped along the Kericho-Nakuru and Kericho-Kisumu Highway, starting from outside the main gate of the posh tea Hotel, up to the junction of James Finlay’s Tea Company, within the town.

Those responsible for dropping the leaflets appeared to have been using a motor vehicle, as some of the leaflets are bearing dirty tire marks.

These leaflets appeared to be targeting members of the Luo community working and doing business in the town. It reads as follows in English:
“Mary Christmas Our Brothers from the Lake”.
“Our staying together is being very limited, although we would have wished to be one. It is sad that we now wish you to leave. And thanks for the Prime Minister’s efforts to separate us.”…
“Siasa zake za uchochezi lazima zikome”, says one sentence in Kiswahili version of the seemingly well written leaflets.

The authors of the leaflets were roundly condemned by a section of Kericho politicians, led by Coun. Nicholas Tum, who alleged that he suspected the leaflets to be the work of the PNU agents and sympathizers. He urged the police to leave no stone unturned in their investigations, and to ensure that the authors of what he termed, “cowardice, seditious papers” are brought to book.

Kericho has a sizeable population of Luos. Most of them work as tea pickers for the two major multinational foreign owned tea companies. Others are jua kali artisans and mechanics in the town’s main garages, dress and shoe-makers operating on the verandas of shops in major town’s streets, masons and carpenters in the building industry. And they appeared to be getting on well with their host, the Kipsigis.

There are also a good number of hawkers of petty goods. Others are engaged by wealthy Kipsigis farmers and traders as laborers in their small scale tea farmer, which are spread in Bureti, Belgut, Konoin and Ainamoi constituencies.

There used to be thousands of Luos employed in the tea industry in Kericho and its environs, but their numbers dwindled to only paltry, following changes of work force in the tea estates and factories, and the introduction of robots, which also ushered in the mechanized teas picking system.

Coun Tum told the author of the leaflets to engage themselves on gainful occupations instead of intimidating the law abiding citizens of Kenya. He said the authors of the leaflets had criminal aims, and objective of dividing the ODM members, and weakening the party ahead of the 2012 general elections.

“We want our people to  ignore these warnings and to go about their daily core in the real task of nation building. The ODM is the party, which is so popular in the South Rift and the leaflets are the work of the disgruntled elements”.

“There is no point in certain people singling out the Prime Minister Raila Odinga as individual. What is happening in Mau Forest eviction is a government policy and all those serving in the coalition government are collectively responsible”, Said Mr.Tum.
Coun Tum urged the Kalenjin MPs to preach peace and reconciliation, instead of being hardened like animals, and taken for a ride by those serving selfish interests, through their kind of political deceits.

The next general election is schedule for 2012 and there is plenty of time. When the time come, the ODM like any other party in this country would work for a possible realignment and new political dispensation.

At the same time, discontent is high in Kericho, after the weekend revelation by the government, that a good number of Kalenjin Mps owned land in Mau, even those who in the recent past, went public denying having any farm in the Mau Forest.

Mr Tum blamed some of the Kalenjin Mps, whom he accused for having misinterpreting the common proverbs used by Raila Odinga, the Prime Minister, at most of his public rallies, citing the incident of frogs in the waters drinking cattle, and coined their own poisonous propaganda, and concocted these proverb words to mean he {Raila}, had insulted the Kalenjin, likening those facing eviction from Mau Forest to the ”FROGs”in the rivers..

These cheap lies must come to an end, and the Kalenjin MPs must behave responsibly like leaders and they should guard against selling their community cheaply to the outsiders nursing presidential ambitions. This is not how to win the presidency.

All the future presidential aspirants must exercise some element of responsible and quality leadership meant to attract the voters, must desist from tarnishing the names of their possible opponents.

The coined propaganda words are being spread in the interior parts of Kipsigis region, where the Prime Minister has maintained almost 100 support of the public, and the ODM has the lead. It is all the succession war against the Prime Minister.
“The Prime Minister has at no time abused the Kalenjin in general, the Mau Forest evictees in particular, therefore people must stop listening to these cheap propaganda aimed at tarnishing the name of the Prime Minister for selfish political ends”, said Coun Tum, adding that Raila Odinga is not at war with the community, but meant well for the region..

Coun Tum advised the Kipsigis community to ignore such propagandas. The Prime Minister has no war nor is he nursing any hate attitudes towards the community that voted for him in his presidential election in 2007 man to man. In fact Raila loves the Kipsigis and the entire Kalenjin people, except the few political enemies of the ODM who are allegedly being bankrolled by PNU agent and the advocates of the amorphous triple KKK{Kalenjin,Kikuyu and Kambas}, whose alleged main architect is the Vice President, Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka.

”These people have been taking us for a ride, and yet they were only serving selfish interests. And no wonder, the names of the very persons who have repeatedly denied owning any piece of forest land have now been revealed and their true identities.

It is shameful, and bad politics for the Kalenjin community, because the activities of the selfish landlords, who have been vocal, insisting they were fighting for the landless member of the community, and yet they are fighting for their own economic interest. These are the same people who have come out in the open and told us how bad is Mr. Raila Odinga, because he is the one who is hell bent on chasing our people out of Mau. What a confusion?”, asked Mzee James Kenduiywo of Silibwet in Bomet district.

He however, came out in defense of the retired President Daniel Arap Moi, and appealed to the government to spare his important investment in the Mau Forest. “The tea estate and factory should be exempted from eviction as the industry has offered employment to hundreds of Kenyans from all tribes”, said Mr. Kenduiywo.

In the tribal clashes of the 1992 -1993, quite a good number of Luos  living and working in the Kipsigis region were attacked, injured and even some of them killed. These attacks later spread into the full length of the Kalenjin-Luo borders. But in the 2008 post independence violence, the Kisiis and Kikuyus suffered a great deal, when their properties were torched, and some of them killed by the Kalenjin youths. This time around, the Luos, who are supporters of ODM were spared.

Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

Kasipul-Kabondo, a political profile for the agriculturally rich region in Luo-Nyanza

9 Replies

THE POLITICAL PROFILE OF KASIPUL-KABONDO CONSTITUENCY, AN AGRICULTURALLY RICH REGION WHICH COULD SERVE AS A BASTON OF MASSIVE FOOD PRODUCTION IN SOUTHERN NYANZA.

By Leo Odera Omolo In Oyugis Town.
Sunday 20th December,2009

KISUPUL-Kabondo constituency is another potential area in the greater Southern Nyanza region ,which could be developed to be an economic hub of Luo-Nyanza.

The land, the weather and rainfall is favorable for the production of food grains, both for domestic and cash crops.

The region has a very attractive rainfall pattern and blessed with red-soil, which is conducive for the production of cash crops such as coffee, tea, pineapples, sweet potatoes, fruits, vegetable, ground -nuts, bananas ,sorghum, onions and other crops.

Residents are said to be workaholics, and spend most of their valuable times working on their farms. Thanks goes to their former MP, the late Samuel Onyango Ayodo, who during his early stages of parliamentary representation of the area, had faced lot of difficulties, preaching  to his constituents the need to change  from the negative attitudes, towards farming, and to adopt the spirit of hard work and sweat, so that they could be able to reap the fruits of Uhuru {independence}.

The former MP used to tease his followers, especially members of KANU youth wingers, not to rush into attending his public rallies, before tending to their family farms in the morning. At times, the former MP’s gospel, and his persistent call for hard work, made him became so unpopular with the youths, who branded him, and called him names. But Rao Radhianja {Hippopotamus} was not deterred.[ Hippopotamus’ was his first election symbol in 1963}.

But those few among his constituents, who positively responded to his teachings and calls, are today the ones who are reaping the fruits of independence, in the real sense of the word. Today, anyone driving along the Sondu-Oyugis main road, would probably see small farms with good layout and fully cultivated food grains production.

In Kabondo area, one sees a lot of pineapples displayed by farmers for sale to the traveling passengers, at the Chabera  junction, Nyapalo and Namba Misambi, Kadongo, Ringa Ober and Oyugis Town. The former MP has since died, but left the living legend of constructive and productive politics, which has changed his former constituency from small farming of subsistence to well cultivate farms, with cash crops.

The residents of Kasipul-Kabondo are the descendants of one ancestor, the great Rachuonyo and cousins to their neighbors in Karachuonyo constituency.

For many years during the colonial rule, Kasipul Kabondo was governed as one administrative location, but today it has several divisions with 20 locations in Kasipul itself, and seven extra administrative locations on the Kabondo side.

Immediately after establishing its administrative bridgehead after military expedition in Kisii, where they met with the stiffest armed resistance from one sub-clan called  Wanjare {To-day the Bonchari constituency} Kisii, the British administrators of the time separated the Kasipul residents  from their cousins in Karachuonyo, and established the area as one administrative unit. They appointed one famous medicine man, Oyugi Wuon Bala as the first colonial chief in 1907.

Oyugi was replaced by one chieftain, Omiti from the Jo-Konyango sub-clan. He too ruled briefly and was replaced by another person from Jo-Konyango sub-clan called Owili. This chief is said to have encountered a lot of problems with his Konyango sub-clansmen.

He later abdicated and went into exile in an area called Milambo {South}, where he died while living in exile. He was replaced by another chief Auma Ogalo from Kachieng’ sub-clan, as the fourth chief, who is reputed to have ruled for only six  months, and then came Chief Obewa from Kotieno, in the western part of Kasipul.

The rapid sacking of five administrative chiefs within the spell of twenty years is a clear evidence that Kasipula-Kabondo was a difficult area for the colonizers to administer, and perhaps needed a genius and tough person to do the job.

But in 1927, the Colonialists felt something was a miss with the administration of this location. And in 1927, the colonialists identified one ex-soldier during the First World War in the name of Cpl Gideon Magak, who was one of the orderlies at the Kisii D.C.’s Office, and appointed him the new chief of Kasipul and Kabondo, combined as one administrative unit.

The new chief, who was a huge and strongly built tall man, embarked on draconian rule. People found smoking bhang in groups were rounded up and sent to jail. The same was the case  with idlers who were found drinking native beers in the villages.

Witchdoctors fled, and the few who remained were hunted down like antelopes, and when caught, were canned, and their tools of trade and paraphernalia set ablaze. Bhang plants were uprooted from gardens, and growers sent to jails. Cattle rustlers also fled the location.

Education became compulsory exercise for children of all sexes, and by early 1940s, Chief Gideon Magak had earned a nickname as “Magak Odeka Popi Wuod Oyata Nyar Kabonyo”.

Chief Magak collaborated well with early missionaries of the Seventh Day Adventists {SDA} and Roman Catholic Church. This contributed greatly towards the establishment of many primary schools in the villages through out the then very expansive location in the region. This witnessed  the birth of schools like Oriang’, Wang’apala, Ober, Saye, Agoro-Sare, Nyangiela and Karabok. These schools are today some of the best government aided secondary schools in the region.

And so the story goes that the late Ex-Senior Chief Gideon Magak was the only administrator who frequented Kisii GA Secondary School. As  frequently  as possible, he would visit, while pressing the Principal of the institution with a request, to be allowed to have close door meetings with students from his location. When such a permission was granted, he would hold private talks with the young students, encouraging them to work hard and excel in their exams, so that they could go back home and work as teachers and agronomists. He would take out of his trousers pockets, and give each student a token of 3/- or occasionally 5/-. He would drive male and female students from his location to places like Siriba Agricultural College and Sigalagala College, and other training institutions, and apply for training opportunities on their behalf. He would follow up this with a frequent visit, to inspect their academic progress from time to time, as sign of encouragement.

Although reputed for having ruled his location with an iron fist, Chief Magak is also credited for having left a legacy of hard work and massive development of public institutions, such as Oyugis District sub-Hospital, Ramula Opangta Health Centre Centre, Ober Health Centre, schools and other socio-economic projects.

Ex-Senior Chief Gideon Magak, however, suffered one major political humiliation in his long rewarding administrative carer. He is being accused for having collaborated with the colonial masters, and lured one of the early nationalists, who were spearheading protracted anti-colonial war, to his arrest. This was the late Walter Fanuel Odede, who had just succeeded the late President Jomo Kenyatta, as the acting President of the defunct Kenya African Union {KAU}, and was then a member of the colonial legislative Council.

This was in 1953, almost one year after Kenyatta and six other famous Kapenguria Trial group had already been arrested an detained by the colonialists, following the declaration of the state of emergency on October 1952.

 Odede drove with a friend, the late Mzee Jalmnayo Okaka Rabala from Seme to the homestead of the Chief, located a few kilometers east of Oyugis Town. It happened at the time when the chief was still working at his office, the Chief’s Camp, situated on Atandi Hills, overlooking Oyugis Township. But instead of the chief driving straight home, to inquire at his homestead who the strange visitors were, he drove his car to the  Kisii D.C’s office, some 16 miles away, and informed the colonial government of the visit to his home by Mau Mau agents.

He returned an hour later,l followed by a lorry load of armed policemen, led by a white officer. Odede and his friends were whisked  away and taken to Kisii, where they were formally placed under arrests. The two were later released, but Odede was detained and sent to Maralal in Northern Kenya, where he remained under detention and later retractions for the next nine years.

The late Odede was later to become the father in-law of the late Tom Mboya, after his daughter, the late  Pamela Arwa Odede, was married to Mboya in 1960. This particular incident, grossly damaged the otherwise good reputation of the late Ex-Senior Chief, Gideon Magak of Kasipul, the man who is credited for being the architect of development in the region.

Densely populated, and having the highest number of registered voters in Southern Nyanza, Kasipul Kabondo, judgied by its geopolitics and vastness, is much qualified for the sub-division into two parliamentary constituencies.

The community, which considers itself as members of one family, is distributed int several major sub-clans, namely Joka-Owidi and Joka-Atinda Nar Kamine. The latter is grouping sub-clans like Joka-Kodera, Kotieno, Kakelo, Kachieng’, Kokwanyo and Konyango the largest. While the Joka-Owidi is a collection of smaller sub-clans like Kanyango and Kokal. There is also another relatively larger sub-clan Jo-Kojwach, who occupy most of eastern part of Kasipul. The Kabondo group consist of sub-clans like Joka Kakangutu, Kodhoch, Kowidi, Kasewe and Kodumo.

Kasipul-Kabondo is also housing numerous immigrant sub-clans like the Subas, Kisiis, clans fromTanzania, and Maragolis. These includes Jo-Wasweta, jo-Agoro, Jo-Kanyakwar, Jo-Karateng’, Jo-Mugusero, Jo-Bassi, Jo-Botonto, jo-Oyengwe, jo-Jimo, Jo-Basimaro, Jo-Kagak nd many other smaller sub-clans.

The recently created Kachien, is the sub-clan, which is considered to have been the earliest settlers and the indigenous occupants of the area.

The voting pattern however is not based on clanism and anyone who attracts the votes can easily be elected to parliament, provided he has a clean track record and good education. The immediate former area MP Paddy Ahenda, is an immigrant from Asembo in Rarieda district, whose family settled in the area many years ago. The man who conquered Ahenda, and hounded him out of Parliament, and the current MP, Oyugi Magwanga, belongs to Jo-Wasweta sub-clan. The Wasweta’s are members of the Luo Abasuba.

This potrays Kasipul-Kabondo as a tolerant, multi-ethnic region.

ENDS

Concerns about Yala Swamp

Leave a reply

Concerns about Yala Swamp
ODHIAMBO CHIAWO
Thu, Dec 17, 2009

It is interesting to read about the interests and concerns mag Joluo about Yala swamp. An Jakochia, H/bay district but I have alot of ecological and conservation interest about Yala swamp.

The conservation issues about the swamp are greater than the economic returns that may be attained by the Dominion. You mean to say ni wadhi loose the fish and the birds mag Yala swamp because of the project ma onge longterm projection to the community.

You can never relocate the swamp, you can never create the Yala swamp. The ecological service it offers to L. Victoria is not measurable. We must protect the swamp, its never a waste land. Jowa manie mbalariany gi NGOs and CBOs we must team up mondo we strongly protect the Swamp. IT IS OUR HERITAGE. IT IS A NATURAL LIVELIHOOD.

KARACHUONYO CONSTITUENCY IS ON THE MOVE TO BECOME A GOOD EXAMPLE OF DEVELOPMENT

21 Replies

KARACHUONYO CONSTITUENCY LEADS THE REST IN GREATER SOUTHERN NYANZA IN MOST ATTRACTIVE DEVELOPMEENT RECORD AND TRANSPARENT DISBURSEMENT OF CDF MONEY.

Constituency Profile By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

KARACHUONYO constituency is one of the most advanced rural constituencies in the greater Southern Nyanza region.
The constituency is also showing the way, how best the government devolving funds such as CDF, School Bursary Funds, Road Maintenance Funds, and HIV/Aids control funds is distributed in an accountable and transparent manner. Thanks to the area MP, Eng. James Kwanya Rege, the former Information and Communication Permanent Secretary.

Rege, a communications expert by profession, has done what is unthinkable by other MPs representing rural constituencies in the Luo-Nyanza. Instead of filling the positions of CDF committee with semi-illiterate people, which is the trade mark of most legislators in the region, he has chosen to work with intellectual elites from the region.

The chairman of the CDF is a professor at the Maseno University, while the manager and all members of the disbursing committee are people of high integrity, and individual personalities who have excelled in other fields.

Karachuonyo is located in the tip of southern shore of Nyanza {Kivirondo} Gulf, and surrounded by three other constituencies, with Rangwe in the South, Kasipul-Kabondo in south east, and Nyakach in the East Karachuonyo is reputed for having the least  changes in the number of MPs ever since its inception in 1962 as a parliamentary constituency. Its electorate are  reputed to be  some of the most enlightened and intelligent voters in Luo-Nyanza.

At the general election that ushered in independence in 1963, Karachuonyo was one of the electoral areas, which were under the grips of KANU in Luo-Nyanza, but interesting its first MP, the late Elijah Omolo Agar, an Indian trained economist, stood as an independent candidate and gave a KANU official candidate, the late Mr. Joseph Gogo Ochok, a thorough beating. Agar won the seat and immediately joined KANU in parliament.

Agar’s unique and unbelievable victory over a KANU candidate did not come as surprise. It was the result of politics of intrigues within KANU, where two of the party luminaries were each sponsoring a parallel candidate against the other. Agar was sponsored by the late Tom Mboya, while Joseph Gogo Ochok was considered as a Mr.Jamogi Oginga Odinga point man in Karachuonyo.

At the time, Mboya’s word in South Nyanza was like the law. Mboya had a upper hand over the late Jaramogi, though the two were serving the same party, with Jaramogi as its Vice President, while Mboya was the KANU secretary General. The two had very sharp ideological differences, giving credence to rumors at the time about the existence of KANU”A” and KANU “B”. But this was the truth of the matter; there were two sets of KANU candidates in almost every constituency throughout KENYA.

Agar did not last long. He met a fatal car accident at Ruga, on the main  Oyugis Kisii road while driving in the evening. He sustained a serious damage of his spinal code, and inspite of professional treatment in the United States, he remained on the wheel chair until his death. After Agar’s death, the former Karachuonyo Regional Assembly member, an ex-primary school teacher, David Okiki Amayo, won the by-elections that followed.

Amayo repeated the same during the election proper, when the general election was called in 1969 and successfully defended his seat again in 1974 and 1979. Amayo was in big trouble in 1983, when he lost narrowly to his former schoolmate at Kamagambo SDA Training School, the outspoken and former head of Lang’ata Women Prison, Mrs Phoebe Muga Asiyo. Amayo moved to the High Court and challenged the election of Mrs Asiyo, citing certain irregularity.

But when a by-election was called, the two battled it out in a straight fight and bruising election, during which the entire Luo elites joined Mrs Asiyo’s side. Amayo was considered to be a Moi’s right hand man in Luo-Nyanza, and as such, was one of the few Luos collaborating with the KANU government, which had kept Jaramogi out in the cold, from the mainstream national politics. Leaflets and cartoons depicting Amayo as Andhoga{traitor] were dropped in Karachuyonyo on nightly basis. Many Luo took leave of absence from their places of work, and even those who were serving in the civil service joined in the fray on Mrs Asiyo’s side.

The most intriguing thing concerning Amayo’s defeat in the hands of the Iron Lady, was that even the Permanent Secretary the Office of the President in charge of Provincial Administration and Internal Security, the late Hezekiah Nelson Oyugi, was not comfortable with Amayo leadership, and was covertly supporting Mrs Asiyo, and yet, he was another Luo right hand man of Moi. Oyugi worked covertly through the intelligence system, and provincial administration ,to ensure that Amayo was out of Parliament at all costs.

Oyugi did the same thing to Rangwe MP, who was sacked as an Assistant Minister, and expelled from KANU. Muga lost his seat in the same fashion as Amayo. And later Dr. William Odongo Omamo similarly in Bondo, due to Oyugi. At this point, secret information started reaching Moi’s ears that his most trusted PS had some hidden agenda after he had sidelined all former trusted friends and political associates of Moi in  Luo Nyanza, and replaced then with his own sycophants under the KANU queue{Mlolongo} election of 1988, which was also Oyugi’s brainchild.

Amayo bounced back in 1988, and was appointed an Assistant Minister in the new KANU government, against e expectation of many, that this time around, he was going to clinch a full cabinet portfolio. Others read mischief in the part of Oyugi, the PS, but he later succumbed to illness and died before completing hi term. His younger brother, Lazarus Ombaye Amayo, although fresh from an Indian University, won the by-election that followed on a KANU ticket, but after serving briefly as an Assistant Minister, lost the seat back to Mrs Asiyo in the first multi-party election of 1992, This time around Mrs Asiyo contested on a Ford Kenya ticket.

In the 1997, a radical US and Norway trained economist, Dr. Paul Adhu Awiti won the Karachuonyo seat on NDP ticket and retained the same in 2002, this time around on NARC ticket. But Dr. Awiti, who at one time served in the KANU/LDP merger as the Planning Minister, lost his ministerial position following the fallout in NARC, which was caused by the outcome of the referendum voting of November2005, in which Raila Odinga led Orange Democratic Movement, inflicted heavy defeat to the Kibaki led Banana group.
The people of Kabuoch and  Kanyamwa in Ndhiwa and Kadem, and Karungu in Nyatike, consider themselves as the indignant people of Southern Nyanza, while treating other communities as outsiders and immigrants or sojourners, coining the name{Nyokal},which was widely used by the colonialists in classifying and dividing the communities in the region before independence in 1963.The closest cousins are the people of Kasipul-Kabondo constituency who are slightly more in terms of numerical numbers.

It has two administrative divisions, namely East  and West Karachuonyo  with 22 administrative locations. Eleven on each side of the two Divisions, sub –divided as follows: Acheng’Nyar-Juok{ consisting of the largest groups in the west {  and Adwet Nyar Maragoli {Kadweti}, a sub-clans of Rachuonyo’s youngest and fifth wife, which is the largest and occupying most part of Central and Eastern Karachuonyo, Nyaluo Nyar-Owaga, occupying the southern part and border Kasipul-Kabondo constituencies, Auma Nyar-Alego {Kauma} which is spread in Kibiri area, bordering Kochia in Rangwe Constituency and Nyipir Nyar-Lang’o {Kanyipir}, which occupies the central area.

It is subdivided in Eastern Division and West Division, by the historical mountain, known as God Huma ,which is full of folk tales or oral history, as the Kipsigis called this Mountain as  Tiluet Ab Komiyat.{loosely translates that the Mountain of Honey}.

Karachuonyo had 55,000  registered voters, while their cousins Kasipul Kabondo had 65,000 registered voters, as per 2007 voters roll..

Most parts of the constituency is full of semi-arid land, which also lacks sufficient rainfall, but some parts is full of black cotton soil, which is suitable for cotton production. In fact, Karachuonyo was the leading producer of cotton in 1940s and 1950s.This attracted private investors who established a cotton ginnery at Kendu Bay. The ginnery is still there, but has changed names several time, and is now under the Asego Investments, a company which is associated with the former Rangwe MP. Eng Phillip Okundi.

The company has been trying hard, encouraging farmers to grow more cotton, so that Kenya can produce even surplus in order to benefit from AGOA. But most of farmers are still rather skeptical, following the woes they suffered under the primary farmers co-operative societies, which never paid their dues, for the cotton delivered for years, until they wound up and went burst.

Other occupation for economic gains in Karachuonyo include fishing activities, though the fishermen are still grappling with the menace caused to their fishing by the ever presence of water hyacinth, the weed that has blocked the passage to many fishing landing sites in Lake Victoria.

Karachuonyo is also an area which is good for rearing both native zebu cattle, as well as the more economically important grade animals for milk. But the farmers still prefer keeping the native ones instead of investing in the new method. At the same time, the population of native cattle is also dwindling, owing to the vanishing grazing land, due to population pressure.

Other parts of the constituency, and particularly in Kanyaluo areas, is suitable for both maize and grade cattle for milk production. Milk is very scarce and the population depends mostly on the supplies from Oyugis Market, which is brought in by milk hawkers from Kericho, Bureti, Sotik and Kitutu Chahe areas.

The area is suitable for irrigation, using the abundance waters of Rivers like Awach and Oluch on the borer of Karachuonyo-Rangwe.
The area Mp, Eng. Rege, is working hard to ensure that the region resumes its former role of being the bastion of cotton growing. He has secured more than a dozen tractors in a close collaboration with a multinational company. The tractors can now prepare cotton fields for the farmers on credit. He will even supply the farmers with seedling at an affordable prices and on credit. This is hoped, will boost the cotton production in the area in the near future.

Karachuonyo’s history is also full of cultural and sporting events. It has produced some of the finest footballers in Kenya’s history. The most notable are pioneer Okombo Kemdo who played for the Kenya eleventh in position of centre half Number 6 in the Gossage Cup Competitions in 1940s,  Edward Odek Aringo also played in the Gossage team in the early 1950s.Others worth mentioning in this article are men like Tukiko Oyare, Mbim Ororo, Elmad Yimbo, Oraro Nyasore, Walala Okuta,Olela Waya Manael Awuor and others.

The younger generation of footballers who turned up for Kenya in regional competitions in East and Central African Tournaments include the likes of Charles Ochieng’ and Agonda Lukio in the middle of 1960s and 1970s.

In music, the young Karachuyonyo soldiers returning after being discharged from the KAR at the end of second World War brought acositic [Box Guitrs} guitars with them, though they were not so much talented, but they invented the music in the early 1940s, leading to the formation of the defunct Kendu Jazz Band in the 1950s. The pioneers were Joseph Bonga, Olero Burma, Okul Kaleah, Nyamuche, Dick David Ogweno [Bandmaster}.

The younger generation of guitarists and entertainers produced in Karachuonyo were the likes of the blind and genius Pius Olima {Randiti}, Ben Blustus Obollawayo, Were Kerry, Odiango Abuoga, George Ramogi, George Ojijo.

Residents of Karachuony constituency played pivotal role in shaping up the development of the entire Southern Nyanza, by producing early educationists, preachers, agronomists, veterinarians and medical doctors. This perhaps, could be attributed to the early arrival of the missionaries. They trained teachers from Karachuonyo, who were found almost everywhere in the entire  Southern Nyanza, and opened schools, with trained teachers in almost every school that came  in the early 1930s and 1940s.

Pastors and priest, evangelists and other teachings of Christianity spread like bush area in the region, which was earlier on impregnable due to primitive beliefs of the natives.

But one teacher, who historically remained the architect of development in the entire Southern Nyanza, is the late Mzee Paul Mboya. After graduating as a teacher at Gendia Mission, Mboya taught for a while, before he was made a pastor of the SDA church, at the tender age of 26. His talent and preaching prowess attracted the colonialists, who appointed him and made him a location chief for Karachuonyo, after the first Chieftains of Nyakiti, Oganyo Odero, Okoth Ougo, Orinda, Dola Maira. Paul Mboya served, then left the chieftainship to one of his cousins, Ex-Senior Chief Zephania Malit.

But in 1946, the colonialist transferred Paul Mboya to Kisii, where the South Nyanza district headquarters was located and charged him with the task of forming the African Local Native Council {ALNC}. And he was made its first secretary. The responsibility covered the whole of what is today called Gusii Region, Southern Nyanza and Kuria.

Paul Mboya was among the African top administrators from this continent who attended the Victory Parade in London in 1946, to celebrate the defeat of Adolf Hitler by allied forces in 1945, the man who had set the whole world alight. He against returned to the UK to witness the coronation of Queen Elizabeth 11, in June 1953.

Mboya retired from active services in 1962, as the Clerk to the County Council of South Nyanza, based at Homa-Bay, after the separation of the Luos and the Kisii by the colonial government. But after he had built many market places, trading centres, DEB Intermediate Schools , dispensaries, Health Centres, feeder and access roads, which were by then under the local authorities. Although he was serving the entire district then, he did have a lot of influence for the funds allocations for the development of his native Karachuonyo.

In an interview with some elders at Kendu Bay, they readily acknowledged Paul Mboya’s efforts in developing Karachuonyo.

Eng. Rege is arguably trying his level best, though he is facing stiffest opposition from certain quarters. Mostly from those nursing parliamentary ambitions seem hell bent on sabotaging the development programme in the area, by using their ill gotten money in drugging the youth, and dishing out cheap cash.

Without mentioning names, Eng. Rege appealed to all able people living in his constituency to join him so that they could work together and  turn Karachunyo to be a fully developed.

There is urgent need to improve facilities like Medicare, schools, roads, fishing, and other area which require agent development. They can brainstorm and put their heads together and turn the  area to be the bastion of food grains.

Kendu-Bay Homa-Bay road is under construction and it is in its advanced stage. Once completed, this road will boost business activities in the region. He appealed to the government to tarmac the Oyugis Kendu-Bay road in order to crown up the region with good roads.

Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

COURT INJUCTION ON PROPOSED GEM DISTRICT

16 Replies

GEM DISTRICT QUARRELS AND WAR OF WORDS INCLUDING COURT INJUNCTION

GEM DISTRICT ISSUE

By Felix Owaga Okatch

wuod Gem Nyawara

The issue of district headquarters is now generating a lot of heated debates and discussions among us in Gem, Kenya and the rest of the world. It is has put us on spotlight as JoGem mane ochiew chon. The inauguration ceremony which was to take place at Sawagongo/Nyangweso on Friday 4/12/09 was postpones to 8/12/09 and this time again the postponement was due to a court injunction to stop it.

Some say that the headquarters should be at Yala, others
Nyangweso/Sawagongo and some Nyawara Chiefs Centre near the famous Gem Hall.

It is now heading for name calling which should not be the case.

As JoGem, we are generally ahead of most Luos and we need to maintain that status as had been set by our fathers, grand fathers, leaders like Odera Akango, Odera Ulalo, Odera Sande, Ogada etc.

Even our elected leaders since independence of Kenya have guided us well despite many challenges and changes in time and space.

For this reason it would be good for us to debate honestly, with sober minds and do so intelligently, based on the circumstances on the ground. This will enable us come out with amicable solution to the problem.

To appeal to Jo Gem and illustrate that we have a common descendant, I take this opportunity to share with you in DhoLuo, a brief history of GEM.

Oral history of JoGem as recorded by Shadrack Malo in his book on Luos of Central Nyanza states that:

Joka Gem ne gin Anyanga, Kwenda gi Ojuodhi.

Anyanga nonyuolo wuowi achiel ma nyinge Nyakota. Kuom yawuot Gem adekgo,ariyonochamoni Anyaga chira nikech ginyuolore ahinya, mit koro Anyanga onindo ei Ojuodhi.To kawa wach moro nitie moriwo Joka Gem duto, Kwenda gi Ojuodhi podi gimiyo Anyanga duog’ mare, tinde ni ka gir liswa moro nitie to Jokanyanga ematieko. Anyanga ema ne duong’.

Luos are superstitious people and have evolved by principle of
primogeniture, that is respect to first borns to avoid bad omen.

Kwenda nonyuolo yawuowi abirio:
Uwoga,Thomo,Rariw,Nyikwaya,Gilo,Wiri gi Were.  Kuom yawuowi abiriogo, auchiel ema karegi ochung’maber . Were kare oke kendo en ema ong’ere ni Kanyiwuor. Kuom JokaGem adekgo Kwenda onyuolore ahinya to Ojuodhi oloye mana gi ongenda maduong’.  Ojuodhi nonyuolo yawouwi abich magin; Ndolo (Ulolo), Okwiri, Adhaya, Opiyo gi Odongo Achier.  Kuom nyithind Gem adekgo emane onyuolore ahinya.

Higni mokadho kapodi Jasungu obiro Yala, delini momako Kwenda kod Ojuodhi ne gin kaka :

KWENDA
Korango ka Ndeda, Odendo Kowino, Yath Olalo Kokach,  Kombok, Osira Kolare,  Ndori Kayuo,  Nyaolo Kolweru,  Gombe Kowuor Aluru, Ramula Kodundo,  Gamba Korege, Siala Kaduol, Yenga Koriwo,  Lwand Minyowo,  Bar Kopata, Bar Kokong’o, Uriri Korek,  Siriwo Kogweyo, Pundo Kosare, Sipoklo Kaduol, Gongo Kachuth,  Migosi Kodiembo, Nango Kaserwa, OmindoKamagundho, Bar aumara, Masogo Onuro Yath,  Nyandiwa Kotina, Nyawara Kogwel,  Uyonga Kondier,  Muhanda Kobodi, Luri Karadier etc

OJUODHI
Maungo Kanyalia, Uhanya Kanyamwanga,  Murumba Kodera Rangira, Got Nyangwira Kodera Ulalo,  Lwanda Koloo Ramoya,  Jemo Kodera Rangira, AnyikoKaluoch (sgt. Maramba Koluoch grandfather to Felix Okatch), Ulumbi Kaweyo,  Marenyo Kogot,  Sagam Kachola,  Lihanda Kowuor,  MudhineKadet Obondo, Rabuor Kodwar Osumba,  Uranga Kodera Ulalo, Umiru Kanyangao,  Muhanda Kotwenyo,  Dudi Kagina, Ukaya Koyoo,  Sirandu Koyugi Anyango,  Ngolo Kanyanjom,  Lundha Kolwande wuon Oduge,  Rang’ala Konyalo,  Hundro Kowuodha, Wanyiegore Komeno,  Nyabeda Kolero,  Ndegwe Koriwo,  Bar Otwero Komenya,  Nyanya Kouko wuon Akumu,  Ng’ut Mbaka Kowenga, Kamuyare wuom Magolo,  Nyanya Kajaoko,  Ochok Tong’Konyango,
Umdongo Kowendho, Usiku Kosure etc.

FELIX OWAGA OKATCH

Tel: 254-721-735489

Promoter and Manager for Conje wanted

Leave a reply

Dear all,

You must be aware of our sister, Conjestina Achieng’s achievements in Boxing, she is number 3 in the world and has an impressive record in the boxing (http://www.wban.org/biog/cachieng.htm). She is looking for a reliable promoter and Manager (preferably based in the USA), should you qualify or know a friend that qualifies, please get in touch with me on this email address and we can take it from there.

I thank you in advance.

Kind regards,
Jennifer Oluoch

DONGRUOK KA LUO

Leave a reply

DONGRUOK KA LUO
Fuambo Janyandita
Sat, Dec 12, 2009

Jowadwa nyikwa Ramogi ndiko gi dhowa be samoro ber. Wagunda kod onjelo ok owinjo bed ni winjo moko.

Gima de her wacho ni asomo yamo anano ka thuolo mar ndokruok koro omedore e thurwa omiya jowa nyaka koro kaw thuolo oket rieko gi gi teko gi gi yaw ohala. E pinje ma bath Kenya jaluo pod ni gi nying kendo tije pod nyithindwa ma osomo maber nayalo nwang’o. Gi ma lit ni kata mana kembe makonyo e yor ohala gi mandiko ji ni jowa onge go. En wach malit ma i wuoro. To kare jowa mane osomo odhi kanye, kara wgoyo mana koko siasa!

Ka in gi konsultasi ma osebodo gi nying, riwri gi jowa kata ma puonjo e univasiti uyaw bede e pimje mabathwa.

Thurwa bende koro bedo chuny riwruok mag pinje ma ist afrika kendo jo thurwa kik owit thuologi. Siasa ber goyo kendo siasa ma jowa osegoyo koro miyo thuolo wuok ei Kenya. Go uru siasa mayom. Sani siasa en ni Jotelo ma idwaro Kenya to kit gi chal nade? To jotelo maketho piny to kit gi chal nade? Bang’ mano to en kawo jogo maparo ni gi nyalo telo to wapimo kitgi e ratili ariyo ma oselosi. Jokaramogi ok yany ng’ato, wan wawcho mana kaka obet.

Nyaminwa, nya Mombasa Judy kod owadwa Barak Obonyo, mos mos. Kata mana adieri bende nyaka sa moro bo maber.

Kik wiwa wil gi tich matek kod ohala bende.

Jaluo dot kom obed ni nyisowa thuolo mag ohala maloyo gimora amora.

Nyasaye ogwedhu jothurwa ka upuonjo jothurwa, jo Kenya kod jo Ist Afrika siasa maber kod dongruok.