Kenyatta meets Jaramogi: How I introduced the titans in Maseno

Achieng’ Oneko. [File, Standard]

British colonialism in Kenya was a capsule of political, social and economic subjugation of the indigenous people. At one level, it manifested in the theft of their land, which was given away to the White settlers. At another level, it was about discrimination based on one’s skin colour and, above all, refusal to recognise indigenous people as human beings. Overthrowing this discriminatory order called for unity of purpose and spirited determination.

The dominant question was whether the critical mass of Africans visualised what the future held for them and their children. I had an opportunity to meet Jomo Kenyatta as KAU Chairman to complain that a letter for a meeting on September 3, 1951 had not reached me. He shrugged off the matter and, in his usual nature, asked me not to worry, for the party was going to be reorganised.

In the meantime, the Nairobi branch had been authorised to assume the duties of the head office. But I also complained that it was taking rather long to bring the party to the ground in Nyanza. It was important for him to visit the region, I said. I told him about the disappointment of our people, who held me personally responsible for this state of affairs. They thought that I was being ineffective. They felt that if his peers invited him, Kenyatta would visit Kisumu. By this, they meant people in his age group, and of the same status as him. They did not consider me to belong to this set of people.

The meeting that I complained of had been held on September 3, 1951, at Kiburi House, along Grogan Road, Nairobi. A copy of the minutes reaching me showed that those in attendance included Jomo Kenyatta (President), Joseph Kariithi (Secretary), Jesse Kariuki (Head Office), James Beauttah (Vice-President, Central Province), Fred Kubai (Nairobi), Bildad Kaggia (Nairobi), DK Wathika (Nairobi), MC Chokwe (Mombasa), W.K. Mengo (Taita), Oimera Masikonde (Narok), Musa Ole Ngachock (Narok), J Moshombe (Taita), JW Kuria (Eldoret), GK Mwaura (Kiambu), G.W. Henry (Nyeri), J Robia (Nyeri), Wahome (Nyeri), SK Kagotho (Nyeri), K Murage (Nyeri), and Peter M’Mburugu (Meru).

Gideon Rimber (Vice-President, Coast Province), and JD Otiende (Vice-President, Nyanza Province) were absent with apologies. Representatives from Kisumu, Kericho, North Nyanza and Nanyuki were recorded as absent without apologies. It was after receiving these minutes that I wrote to Kenyatta the letter that I complained to him about. Kenyatta assured me that in the forthcoming revitalisation process, some people would be axed from the party.

These were the elements responsible for the loss and displacement of important party documents. Tom Mbotela was one of them. He would be replaced by a person described as “a trusted servant of the people, to be identified from the Nairobi branch.” Shortly after that, I received a letter from Fred Kubai, dated September 29, 1951. Kubai, the Chairman of the Nairobi branch, was advising me of the reorganisation of the head office.

He apologised for the fact that his letter inviting me to the Central Committee meeting, scheduled for September 3, 1951, had been misplaced. A note at the end of his letter dated September 29, 1951 advised me that the General Secretary, Mr Joseph Kariithi, was away at his home in Machakos and that correspondence should in future be addressed to the Nairobi branch. This message sounded an alarm bell. It also aroused suspicion in me about the suspension of some officials who were engaged in fifth column activities. Something sinister was afoot in the party. The time had come for wholly trustworthy sons of Kenya to take charge of the activities of the party.

It was therefore appropriate for me to discuss in detail the issues affecting the party with its president. He sent a driver and a messenger to fetch me from Kiburi House along Grogan Road to take me to the home of the Senior Chief Koinange wa Mbiyu in Kiambaa Location, in Kiambu District. This was a caucus of four people, namely Jomo Kenyatta, Senior Chief Koinange wa Mbiyu, Jesse Kariuki and myself on October 15, 1951.

The meeting agreed to convene an Executive Committee meeting. Together with Peter Mbiyu Koinange, we were elected Trustees of the party. At the next meeting, I was elected co-delegate to Britain, once again with Peter Mbiyu Koinange. Our mandate was to put forward our demand for independence, and to take a copy of our petition to the United Nations Organisation in Paris, France. Koinange went ahead of me while I was still making arrangements for my travel documents.

I also had to sound out the public and to raise funds for my upkeep in Europe. This was done with the assistance of our Kisumu branch. It was during this fundraising tour that I introduced Oginga Odinga to Jomo Kenyatta at the foot of Sanganyinya Hill, near Maseno. It was a pre-arranged luncheon appointment at the Maseno Stores, a branch of the Luo Thrift and Trading Corporation Ltd. Cornelius Okuto Bala, who was the Manager of Maseno Stores, was in charge of the special luncheon in the corporation’s resort home. He was assisted by Margaret Ajwang, Odinga’s niece, who was later to become Bala’s wife. The guests were Jolmere Hokakah from Jusa, Seme, and George Samuel Ayany, a teacher at Maseno School. Jonathan Okwiri and John Paul Olola were unable to attend.

It was a very remarkable day which Kenyatta kept referring to throughout the rest of the time we were together. He was extremely impressed by Odinga in all ways, and more particularly his mannerisms, which were similar to those of some Luo friend he had lived with in Pumwani in Nairobi. On our return to Kisumu, travelling in our company pick-up, Odinga told me of a new find.

He said, “This is a great Kenyan leader. We must support him. It is true, I agree with you now, he is a unifying factor.” This occasion was in fact Kenyatta’s first visit and tour of Luoland, although the farthest we went was Akala in Gem as we raised funds for my travel to Britain.

Kenyatta’s tour to Akala was preceded by a successful rally at Kaloleni Hall in Kisumu, where my impending travel was the sole subject. He was the sole speaker at the meeting. He proclaimed that he had visited Kisumu in order to hear the opinion and support of a proposal regarding a KAU tour to Europe. He explained that I was in a two-man delegation to present the people’s demands to the Colonial Office.

He said that it was an onerous task in which public support must be obtained. He added that the head office had done its part, “But Achieng’ Oneko is your branch chairman and he was born here.” At this stage I was told to climb on a table in front of the large audience. Kenyatta smiled and asked, “Is he Kenyatta’s man from Nairobi, or your man?” There was ululation and applause from the crowd. Kenyatta insisted that the people raise their hands as a sign of an oath before God.

The public responded in approval and massive support. Kenyatta announced that there were two conditions for this last delegation to present a petition to the colonial oppressors in England. They were to be told that we had reached the end of our tether. The delegates would return to report on the outcome of their mission. It was the duty of all of us to provide the delegation with enough funds for their comfortable stay in Europe. My chance came to say a few words before the closure of the meeting.

This was what I said: First of all, I must thank the President of KAU, Jomo Kenyatta, for visiting this part of Kenya to see for himself the reaction of the people towards KAU and the support the people have demonstrated towards his leadership and himself as a person. It has not been possible to organise such an elaborate gathering like this before because we had to carry out the necessary grassroots activities, such as the registration of our members and office. I wish to thank you personally (Mzee Kenyatta) for having acknowledged our invitation to come and witness what I have been telling you about Kisumu being on the move. Our policy is forward ever and backwards never. I wish to tell our supporters and friends that I will not let my country down, whatever the case may be. I am not a novice to Kenya’s politics, having been an editor of a people’s newspaper and a top leader of the Luo Union. My contact with elders like you, sir, and Senior Chief Koinange Mbiyu, has filled me with knowledge about the dangers facing our oppressed Black peoples. There is nothing in the world that can divert my view from the sacred responsibility bestowed upon me this day. The people I lead in this province have today demonstrated their support for my mission to Britain. You have referred to this mission as the last delegation. I can easily interpret this to mean that as soon as I return and place my report in the hands of Kenyans, there will be no need for another petition for independence. I am ready to be part of that last delegation and you must trust me to do my best. I will not betray my supporters, nor will I subject them to disappointment.