Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Ng’iya Village, Siaya County.
THOUSANDS of mourners at the weekend converged to the Ng’iya village home for the sending off of a high profile former top Kenya government official.
The late Jerry Walter Owuorwho died in Nairobi last month at age 81. He was buried at his Ng’iya village home in Alego East Location within Siaya County in a colorful burial ceremony, which was presided by the Anglican Bishop of Maseno West Diocese, the Rt Rev Dr.Joseph Otieno Wasonga.
Among the mourners was his boyhood friend and schoolmate and a former cabinet Minister Isaack Omolo Okero, the Alego-Usonga MP Edwin Ochieng’ Yinda, immediate former Alego Usonga MP Sammy Weya, former Migori MP George Owino Acholla, the Kisumu Mayor Sam Okello,former Rarieda MP Odeny Ngure,
Born on May 23,1929 at Ng’iya Mission. Jerry W. Owuor was the second born of the late Mzee Mannase Ogot and Mama Mama Mariam Ogot. He was the second born out of a family of twelve children. Jerry Owuor took his early education at Ng’iya Intermediate School, G>A>S Kakamega and Maseno CMS School where he sat for his Cambridge School Certificate before enrolling at Kagumo Teachers Training School, where he qualified as KT1 Primary Schoolteacher.
He was immediately posted to Western Province where he served as the headmaster of Musanda Intermediate School and thereafter won the India Cultural Scholarship which enabled him to study at the New Delhi University in India. He graduated with a BA {Hons} and later obtained a Maste’s degree from the same institution with specialization on labor and welfare as well as social science.
Upon his return to Kenya, the late Jerry W.Owuor.r was among the first few African to be appointed Labor Officer by the Colonial Administration and rose through the ladder of ranks and was later made the first African Labor Commissioner in Kenya.
Owing to his communication skills, Jerry Owuor rose to prominence in Kenya when he was first appointed the Director of Independence Celebrations in 1963 and later acted in the same capacity during the country attainment of republican status in December 1964.
He is survived by his widow Mrs Edith Mary Owuor a former school teachers and four children three daughters and a son all are grown ups and graduates in various field of professionalism. The late Mr Tom Mboya, the assassinated former Minister for Planning and Development acted as Mr Owuor’s best man during his marriage on May 23,1964.
He is survived by his wife Edith May Owuor and four children one son and three daughters, brothers and four sisters.
The late Owuor was later appointed the first General Manager f the Kenya Tourist Development Corporation Agency {KTDA} and director of public celebrations. He was later moved to the Office f the President and appointed a Senior Deputy Secretary and later served in the Ministry f Health in the same capacity.
He was the founder director of the Family Planning of Kenya. Upon his retirement from the long and rewarding carrier in public service, Mr Owuor pursued his professional interests and served various private firms as adviser on industrial relations matters and later formed his own consultancy firm.
His other services to humanity included Nairobi Rotary Club, where he played a critical role in organizing the very successful eye camps for over a decade. YWCA of Kenya and the Friendship Force Club of Kenya.
Speakers heaped a lot of praise on Mr Owuor as being articulate, good adviser, counselor, brilliant.
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