The late Hon. Sen. Otieno KAjwang: Could His Fight Against Cold-Blood Treachery Caused His Untimely Demise? When everybody was running around at loose ends in the run up to the botched ODM election last February, ODM die hards thought Kajwang-Dr. Otuoma lineup would be stabilizing factor in which both the ODM rank and file would have confidence. This was to prove a most fortunate decision, because apparently it save the party. I first met Kajwang at Jaramogis office situated along Odera street in Kisumu in the earlier 1990s. My Dad, James Randiki, Mzee Sila Omollo, Asol Mango and Jaramogi were holding one of their many secretive meetings under the watchful eyes of the brutal and ruthless Mois political police then known as Special Branch. I had gone to pick them up after the meeting. Jaramogi, who chaired the meeting made a brief introduction by introducing Kajwang only as Maye en Okil mo osiep Amolo. Okil nyathini ne wachako Jaramogi. chakre sani ti uru kanyakla In the long run, I found him a truly nationalist with dynamic character. I can fairly describe him as a big and loyal party man in every way, with great generosity of spirit, many enthusiasms and considerable breadth of interests. The son of a poor family of Homa Bay county. In Ford, he was fondly called Nyakwar,,,,,,,,,and in Ford-Kenya, NDP, LDP the signature changed to OKil Maloka ( he of sharp legal minds) and in ODM he was nicknamed Mapabambano. Mapabambano was entirely self-made having risen by what is known in the second liberation struggle as the hard way to become a most successful Nairobi City lawyer and a key player in the then raging battle for the second liberation of our country, with offices offering services to political dissidents. It is his service as a lead legal defense for Raila Odinga and others in the struggle which had earlier earned him the reform medal of Honour and also the title Okil Maloka. He was a total believer in the disciplined loyalty of party members and, to him the intelligence of members could only come second. Consequently, Mapambano had to face vicious and cruel attacks with cold-blooded treachery on many occasions. But he soldiered on fearlessly, never betraying the spirit of our cause. I remember the 1997 election, Okil underwent trying moments as politically tribulations came in droves. He fought gallantly and overcame them. In fact after the 1997 election, it had been generally thought that Tinga, for whom he had campaigned actively in the 1997 would make Okil, on reaching state house, his AG, but the appointment wasnt possible as Tinga did not make it to the State House. When NDP emerged with Kanu still, Okil missed out for nomination or senior appointment. NDP instead, nominated Mariam Matano from Mombasa. Still Okil remained steadfast with Tinga. He was not a successful businessman as politics ruined his law practice. One time a delegation from Coast paid a visit to Tinga at his ministry of energy office, at the Nyayo house. I asked him about Okil and he retorted Frankly, I should like to have him in the cabinet, not only for his own ability, but also to repair in a sense the very great injustice done to him by President Moi and Kanu. Okil undertook many legal assignments on behalf of our party e.g Ford-K, NDP, LDP, ODM and CORD. However, of all the many cases where he appeared for Tinga, the most memorable one was not ithe suing of Prof. George Saitoti, then, vice- president over the goldenberg scam, but the legal battle he ferocious fought to save the Molasses plant in Kisumu. Tinga had mobilizers members of the Luo community to raise fund to purchase the plant under vehement opposition from our leaders such as Prof. Nyongo , Otieno MakOnyango, James Orengo and Dr. Otieno KOpiyo, Otieno Karan. They had joined Moi and his greedy cronies in frustrating the collective effort to buy the plant, which they had all declared a mass of worthless scrap metals. Kajwang and Raila disagreed with Nyongo and his co and went ahead to mobilize resources. After purchasing the plant through open auction process, Moi government schemed to snatch the plant from the Spectre EA on the basis that it had defaulted in payment due at the fall of the hammer during the auction. The matter went to court. Again Okil was there to defend the interest of his members of his community. The presiding judge was non other than the infamous Justice Aron Ringera. Mr. Makossa Mbarire, and I attended the court dutifully through out hearing and listened as Okil skillfully represent our case. The man was brilliant, intelligent and highly skilled counsel. As clients Makossa and I used to visit his office a day prior to the hearing. We would find him at cramped and depressing office in which he would brief us on the case. I found him sympathetic, charismatic, helpful and thoroughly familiar with both relevant legal instruments and local political scene, but also frankly worried over the state house firm grip of the judiciary that he feared might manipulate the case. We lost the case. Back at the party level, Okil was an influential Tingas adviser. I remember when our allies in IPK faced serious onslaught by Moi government. Okil constantly and vehemently counseled Tinga against holding the bag in a war in which the ally expect to be beaten. He used to say. the arsenals of the IPK are empty. But Ford-K/ IPK will win out. Muslims do not kneel easily. With that Kanu lost in Mombasa, apart from Sherriff Nassir of Mvita. Therefore, today as he lies in the cold-room at the Lee funeral home, if you ask me what Mapambano was made of, I will promptly tell you he was made of high-grade steel. The kind of stuff one gets from the Besser process in which iron ore of phosphorous content from the Gallirare mine in northern Sweden is extracted. Having been made of the high-grade steel, Mapambano seemed to have been much less concerned with possible danger from the enemies than from his defense of ODM and party leader Raila Odinga. Finally, let me say something about our communication. I still remember vividly, but not sadly, (we are soldiers) his phone call to me on a strange number, just a few days to the botched ODM election. His secret instructions were explicit, but limited in purpose to furthering disciplined members loyalty and defense of party interest. Jaramogi, mano in? Ma an Mapa. I responded. keep an eye on the dangerous state sponsored spies, saboteurs and propagandists with untramotive designs that have formed the dangerous hidden Fifth Column in ODM. Smoke it out The last encounter is in the caption, at Dr. Adhu Awiti funeral. He stood behind Tinga with the ODM scarf around his neck!. A soldier Never Dies! R.I.P Okid Wuoda
Posted on: Wed, 19 Nov 2014 12:57:36 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015