Writes Bob Ndira-Uradi in Oyugis Town.
THOUSANDS of mourners on the Easter Monday gave a tearful farewell to a prominent woman farmer and church leader in Kaipul-Kabondo in Rachuonyo South district within Homa-bay County.
Mrs Dorcas Akeyo J.Oyugi-Ogot was laid to rest next to her late husband James Oyugi-Ogot near their palatial home near Mikaye market in Kakelo Location, Kasipul-Kabondo, Rachuonyo South district within Homa-Bay County.
The deceased husband the late James Oyugi Ogot, was a top educationist who rose through the ranks from a classroom teacher and retired as the District Education Office {DEO} in Siaya district about ten years ago.
The couple had pioneered into modern farming three decades ago. They introduced top grade dairy cows in their farm, which is located next to the main Oyugis- Kisumu road as early as 1967.
The couple had also pioneered into other cash crops, and for many years the farm has served as the roll model in the region. It is layout and plan was late to attract the Ministry of Agriculture and the Provincial Administration in Nyanza which on many occasions had used the farm as an Agricultural Field Day where many farmers from other parts of the greater Southern Nyanza region were invited for training on new method of farming technology and better crops husbandry.
A devoted Christian Mrs Oyugi was a staunch member of the SDA church and had acted on many occasions as the church leader, making her the most influential woman within the community.
The otherwise a solemn burial ceremony of a highly respected woman was almost marred by political confrontation between women leaders n the area who vehemently objected and protested against the derogatory remarks by the ODM Coordinator in Nyanza Mrs Monica Amolo who was engaged in sharp exchange with Ker Meshack Riga Ogalo of the Luo Council of Elders and Mrs Roselyn Onyiuka who is contesting the Homa-Bay Women representative seat.
The burial brought together the largest number of politicians in the region. Among them was the former two times MP for Karachuoyo Dr Mrs Phoebe M Asiyo, Prof Otieno Muga, the Vice Chancellor o the Great Lakes University Kisumu, the chairman of the Luo Council of Elders Ker Meshack Riaga Ogalo,former Nyanza PDE, Mrs Roselyn Onyuka who is contesting the Homa-Bay County women Representtive in Parlament, her rival for the sme position Mrs Gladys Wanga and others.
Other included several aspirants for the newly created Kasipul-Kabondo constituency, which was recently separated from the old Kasipul. They included Hebert Ojwang’ who acted as the master of ceremony, Enock Ogutu, Prof. Otieno Muga, the former MP for the old Kasipul-Kabondo William Oloo Otula, who declared to the huge crowd that he would be contesting the election in the old Kasipul constituency.
In her address Dr Mrs Asiyo advised the leaders in the region to rebrand themselves and move to the neighboring community and canvass for Raila Odinga’s presidential votes. “You should stop the petty political squabbles among yourselves to other regions to campaign for the ODM leader to realize his presidential ambition.
Ker Meshack Riaga Ogalo also gave similar advice to the mourners telling those able to move out of the region and elates well with the residents of the neighboring communities like the Kisiis, Kalenjin, Luhyia with the mission to persuade them to support Raila Odinga and the ODM to win the next general election.
The burial ceremony nearly got marred by chaos following the derogatory remarks made by the ODM Coordinator in Nyanza Mrs Monica Amolo. The mourner accused Mrs Amolo of bad mouthing other leaders, particularly when she scathingly criticized the former PDE Mrs Roselyn Onyuka who is vying for the position of the County woman representative in parliament.
The attack on high profile former PDE did not go down well in an area which is her home ground provoking strong protest by the mourners followed by wildcat calls.
Mrs Onyuka who was born in Mbita in Suba region is marred in Kasipul-Kabondo and her people had to be restrained from acting violently against Mrs Amolo, though some women were heard hurling insults to her.
In her address to the mourner Mr Onyuka narrated her past achievements during her services as the senior Principal of St. Albert Ulanda Girls High School and later how she struggled and revived the hitherto run-down Asumbi Teachers Training College and later how her position as the Nyanza PDE saw schools in the region rejuvenated and shinned again coming on top of other regions in the national exams. She received standing ovation fro the mourners who endorsed her candidature and gave her go ahead signals.
She told the mourners that she has what it takes to be called track record of achievement an diligent service to the community.
During the meeting mourners were heard blaming some vernacular FM Radio stations which some people have been frequently using to malign their perceived political opponents on patent. Other mourners were heard shouting that the CCK should investigate those station wh9ch are used by politician to slender their rivals and by engaging in destructive political propaganda. One man shouted the names of several FM Radio Station which he said were notorious for allowing sponsored propaganda materials and pack of lies saying they should be shut down b y he government unless those running them at responsibly not to allow their stations to be used a instrumental tool of distortion
The confrontation started following the remark made Prof.Muga who inadvertently referred to the Ker Meshack Riaga as the “Former Ker of the Luo Council of Elders. But Mzee Riaga in a foot-note reaction stood on his feet and protested saying that his role and status quo as the “Ker” has remained unchanged. The other Ker Opiyo Otondi, he said was make up of politicians, whereas he remained the true Ker of the Luo community until his death an that is what the Council’s constitutions says.”
The late Mrs Oyugis was the mother of Dr Kenneth Kambona a top agronomist who is the regional adviser to the UNDP and prospective contestant for the Kasipul-Kabond parliamentary seat. She left behind eight children all of them grown up.
Ends