Writes Leo Odera Omolo in Kisumu City.
The chairman of the powerful Luo Council of Elders Ker {chairman} Meshack Riaga Ogalo was voted out of office with his entire members of the executive and replaced with his former Deputy Willis Opiyo Otondi.
Ogalo, the Deputy Secretary General Edward Adera Osawa and the Acting Treasurer General Dorothy Awino boycotted the election which was supervised by Rev Wasswa from, Western Province.
The election was a follow up of the Annual General Meeting of the organization which was held on May 10th, 2010. The meeting of May 10 took the whole day and ended up at 7:30 forcing the delegates to postpone the election. But it resolved that another meeting be held on June 4th 2010.
On June 3rd two members of the Council. Mzee Odak Mbaka from Kasipul-Kabondo and Ex-Assistant Chief Nyandiko from Central Karachuonyo moved to the High Court and filed an injunction to stop the elections. But it later emerged that the court papers were not served, and have so far not been served to date, so the election went on as scheduled
In the election the former deputy chairman,and Willis Opiyo Otondi from Kisumu East was elected unopposed, His deputy is an Ex-Senior Chief Omolo Anditi of Rusinga Island.
The vacant post of the Secretary General went to Otieno Ayieko from Kamagambo, Rongo. His deputy is Mzee Owino Nyandi.This position become vacant following the last week’s resignation in huff of the former holder Prof. Gilbert Ogutu.
The treasurer General is Owino Abuor who will have Mzee Alogo Raila, who is a cousin of the Prime Minister Raila Odinga as his deputy.
Mzee Stephen Othoo Deya from Kagan in Homa-Bay was named the Organizing Secretary with Mzee Michal Odote Kojiemo from Ahero, Kano as his deputy. The position of the Trustees remained unchanged. They are the former PEO Mzee Seth Oluoch and educationist Oyuga Tado and another man whose name was not handed to this writer.
The delegates were 5 each from the 26 administrative districts covering the entire Nyanza Proviunce from Siaya, Bondo, Ugenya, Rarieda,Gem, Kisumu West and Kisumu East, Nyando, Muhoroni, Nyakach, Karachuomyo zmorth, Karachuoyo South, Homa-Bay, Rangwe, Ndhiwa, Mbita, Gwassi, Nyatike, Migori, Uriri and Rongo.
He embattled former Ker {chairman} Riaga Ogalo and his supporters stayed away from the election venue, arguing that Ker [chairman} and his executive only vacate office following death or voluntary resignation.
It could be remembered that even Ker Meshack Riaga Ogalo was never elected, but had been appointed to act in that position following the death of the former holder the late Mzee Joash Koyo Opien. Two months ago the Prime Minister Rauila Odinga in the company of the Lands Minister James Orengo visited Ofafa Memorial Hall and addressed the elders and made it clear that in order to restore the confidence of the community members they must seek for fresh ,mandate through the elections.
Ker Riaga Ogalo has been having trouble with his organization’s executive members who disowned a secret trip he had made to Libya at the invitation of the Libyan strongman Muamor El Gadhafi who is said to have lavishly entertained him as a hero.
He is said to have surrendered the leadership position to Kamlesh Paul Patni of the Goldenberg scandal same while in Libya, and in return Patni alleged gave him a ten seater Matatu van, which the Council member rejected totally, saying he did not inform the executive about the trip in advance.
End
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com
We need elders with integrity who can make the Luo community move forward with development. We do not need people who wait for handouts from politicians, move left and right in funerals for kado. Luo nyaka ne mbele piny tek jo thurwa.It is time to invest in economic power, we have enough academic power to drive our economic plans to succeess.
What a waste of effort, what a waste of space the old folks have delved into! Is there Luo Council of Youth to counter these demagogues?
It is a good idear to vote them out since they don’t focus on the future of us vijana.
Luo elders should and must be above and out of partisan politics let them deal with social/cultural vartues of the community let them have a clear structure of setting their agenda, and deliberations.They cannot be leaders their time is over they can only opinion on issues based on their past experiences.
As a half gikuyu half luo young person studying in the states, I can say I am so completely tired of the politicization of identity in Kenya.
We talk about community, but there is no such thing as community. Yes, I am proud of my luo back ground, but honestly, what the hell does the Luo Council of Elders and the Agikuyu Council of Elders and all the other Tribal Council of Elders do for the poor and destitute millions of people in Kenya.
Creating a Luo Youth Council will not solve the problems of poverty in Nyanza, because the poverty in Nyanza is linked to the poverty of Kenya, because we all operate under one state, one government, and one political system.
We need to do like all mature people in history have done, EVOLVE away from old passe irrelevant traditions and identities.
Kenyan youth need to build a New Kenyan community, because all those so called “ethnic communities” and our so call proud Luo leaders along with all the other “ethnic communities” and their proud leaders have done zero to bring dignity, development, and modernization to the common mwananchi.
You may disagree with me…but the history of the world outside of our petty Kenyan identities speaks for itself. If we find enough courageous Kenyans willing to let go of the past and embrace a future without so called community elders and honestly tribal elite who expect us to act like sheep, than maybe we can one day have a real country like all other modern developed countries.
But honestly that is Kenya’s only hope.
George Otieno Kamau
My grand father can now rest in peace with no squables of this and that who ever thought that my grand father was being paid can go to hell. To me he is and will always be my very wise old man.