News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo.
The planned burial of Zeituni Abong’o Onyango Obama, the US President Barrack Obama’s aunt has degenerated a lot of controversy following the sudden surfacing of the man who claim to be her legal husband and who was earlier reported to have died long before she moved to the US .
The 69 year old man Abell Mboya Okoko immediately launched the most scathing criticism of the Obama family for trying to sideline him over the burial of his wife.
Mboya Okoko the retired employee of the City Council of Nairobi narrated how he got married to Zeituni in 1969. They lived happily as a husband and wife in a House at the Uhuru Estate in Nairobi where two of his children are still living to date.
Speaking at his rural home near Lake Simbi Nyaima in Central Karachonyo, Homa-Bay County, Okoko said he had made a frantic effort to contact his in-law in Alego Kogelo so that they could work together in organizing the burial of his wife in her matrimonial home in vain.
He disclosed that their marriage was blessed with four children – – her sons and one daughter Rukia, Felix, Pascal and Shashi. The marriage was conducted in accordance to Luo tradition. He had paid three herds of cattle and large sums of money as bride price.
What annoyed Okoko most is the news footage based on information supplied to the US based newspapers in which Musrafa Obama the half brother of President Obama who is currently living in the US was quoted as saying that the family would have loved to have the remains of Zeituni buried at her matrimonial home at Kendu-bay, but this could not be fulfilled because her husband had died.
“I am very much alive, healthy and strong like any human being.” said Okoko.
He said after Zeituni who had worked with the defunct East African Airways before the Kenya Breweries Limited as the system analysis left their home and moved to the US. He got married to a second wife with whom they had another five children.
Okoko said he was contemplating seeking legal redress through the court, and would definitely sue Mustafa Obama for having imitating his death whereas is still very much alive and active.
As this report was being written, nobody new exactly the whereabouts of the body of Zeituni which is believed to have arrived in Kenya on Thursday morning. There were strong rumors that the body has already been disposed off and buried secretly at the Kariakor Muslim cemetery in Nairobi, while other sources say it was kept at the Lee Funeral Home pending the family decision as to where it could be buried. Security has been stepped at the Obamas home in Alego Kogelo in Siaya County and not even close relatives and friends were allowed.
It has also been established that Mama Sarah Obama is not the biological mother of Zeituni as has been perceived previously, but was just a foster mother. She could have been born by one of dozens of wives of the late Hussein Onyango Obama, who is on record of having married 13 wives with the Habiba Akmu the mother of Barrack Hussein Obama Snr being the first. But he had divorced most of them.
It has also been established that ever since the death of Zeituni in US reached Kenya relatives and friends have been flocking into the home oif Okoko with condolence messages. One of the early mourners who arrived there was Asha Auma the younger sister of Barrack Obama Snr who is living near Oyugis town. The majority of those who visited Okoko’s home were the Obamas relatives from the nearby Kanyadhiang’ while another bulk were reported to have visited the family home in Alego Kogelo, though most of them were turned away owing to tight security therefore they could no access the home to pay their homage to the family.
Okoko, however, vowed that he would fight to the bitter end through the courts in order to access the body of his wife and give it proper burial.He would persue this even if it means exhuming the body from where she may be buried at the whims of his in-laws. He will follow the law to the bitter and.
Ends
PRESS RELEASE
AUNTIE ZEITUNI ONYANGO: LET THE FAMILY INCLUDING PRESIDENT OBAMA GRIEVE THEIR BELOVED!
It is with great shock and sadness that Zeituni Onyango left us so soon! We are grateful to God for a life of service that our sister lived. Auntie Zeituni has gone to be with her maker whom she loved very much. My family and I as relatives had the honor and privilege of hosting the deceased and as a pastor I served this remarkable woman’s spiritual life while in Cleveland Ohio. Ms. Onyango leaves behind four children and their father, a loving mother, siblings, extended family and numerous friends.
Unfortunately, there are attempts to negatively draw President Obama’s name in the late auntie Zeituni in death just as it was done while alive. The president Obama like all of us who know and love our auntie are grieving! How low and evil do some people go assassinate others characters! I wish the family can be left alone to mourn their dead in peace! Those of us who organized and participated in the farewell service for Auntie Zeituni did not expect the president to be physically present in Boston but his participation indispensable for the success of the process from the day auntie died to the present! I must inform these people that the president has been very close to the family and continues to grieve for his beloved aunt and supports the effort to give auntie Zeituni a decent burial.
As believers we have the assurance that Auntie Zeituni found peace and ultimate healing in the arms of her God. The late Zeituni, also known as Polly Mboya, was blessed with four children in her marriage to my cousin Ebel Mboya Okoko who is still alive not dead as has been reported! The late Auntie Zeituni was a loving and caring mother. She was extremely smart, strong and beautiful. In spite of her illness she remained spiritual, independent and proud. This remarkable woman accomplished so much in her short life. It is unfortunate that people with limited knowledge of Auntie or the Obama family keep filling the media with misleading information filled with lies, half-truths and hate directed to Zeituni and her family even after her death. Zeituni suffered from an illness not lack of love! Zeituni had opportunities to exploit her position but chose to live close to her doctors. She did not die alone! Her sister Marsat had travelled from Kenya to be with her. She had plenty of visitors including former prime minister of Kenya Hon. Raila Odinga and many more.
My name is Abel Oriri, an in-law and a brother in Christ to the late Zeituni Onyango. I’m a resident of Cleveland Heights Ohio where I live with my wife and three children for the past 20 years. I am the senior pastor of the Heights Fellowship in Cleveland Ohio and the CEO/owner of Able Counseling & Associates, Inc., a private clinic providing counseling & psychological services with headquarters in Cleveland Ohio. My duties include service to the general population and US military installations as a mental health treatment consultant at home and abroad. I have worked in the past with our soldiers to ensure their deployment readiness and continue to help them reintegrate following tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The late Zeituni Onyango had been ailing for a while and then senator Obama’s presidential campaign. She left Boston to stay with me to escape the media’s intrusive behavior. The media attention made it difficult for her to heal after a long hospitalization. When I asked Auntie Zeituni to come to Cleveland, I had no idea about her immigration case or notice of deportation. She had unknowingly retained a bad immigration lawyer who was cited by the court and went to jail during this period. I had a friend, Ms. Wong, who took over the case and successfully re-open it and won. I will forever be grateful to Ms. Wong because of what she did without asking me for a dime!
My motive for asking Auntie Zeituni to move to Cleveland was to protect and offer my sister-in-law a place to rest and heal. We all know that the media had camped in front of her residence and President -Elect Obama was being accused of neglecting Auntie Zeituni while preaching ‘socialism’ for others. I felt Auntie Zeituni was being assailed by opponents of Senator Obama without regard to her medical condition. The family and I were worried for her safety. I therefore arranged for her trip to Cleveland to avoid the barrage of the media.
Auntie Zeituni’s immigration status came to my knowledge on the third day of her stay in Cleveland. When the media made public the immigration issue, I contacted the office of the Margaret Wong Law Firm to represent Auntie Zeituni. I also made a telephone call to Dr. Otis Moss Jr., senior pastor of Olivet Institutional Baptist Church, telling him about this issue and consulting him about my decision to take Auntie to Ms. Wong office.
Finally, I’m thankful to attorney Margaret Wong and her staff for their tireless and diligent legal work. Scott and Margaret were instrumental in exposing the injustice in this case. They effected the reopening of the case, and showed the world the untold suffering that Auntie Zeituni has endured. I want everyone to know auntie Zeituni was loving mother, professional and a born again believer who exemplified her faith. Auntie Zeituni would call me from time to time as a member of the campaign team to ask about the Obama campaign. She believed I could talk to her nephew any time and could send me messages especially bible verses to pass to the president. Zeituni chose to maintain no contact with president Obama especially after her immigration status was leaked to the press because she was afraid of negative politics used by opponent of then presidential candidate Obama.
We thank all of you for your prayers and supported. Auntie’s wish was to be buried in Kenya and we expect her body to arrive for burial in Kenya as soon as possible
Abel O. Oriri
aooriri@gmail.com
216-337-5842 (cell)