Luo land village whose residents are 'pure British'

Memories of how the former chief brought them closer to the British monarchy are fresh, especially among the elderly.

Mboya served between 1935 and 1946 and was a trusted ally of the British colonial government.

He was one of the few people who interacted with Queen Elizabeth II when she was still a princess and when she was coronated.

Promoting Christianity

He was also one of the seven Kenyans who attended the coronation of the Queen in 1953 and "brought" the British culture to his village.

He promoted the ideologies of the British even as people in other parts of the country were fighting for self-rule.

Mboya tried to unite the Luo community while working closely with the British colonialists.

He was only one of the few elders from Luo land who could speak English fluently and one of the few who interacted with Queen Elizabeth II.

She awarded him the Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) title.

The new generation knows little about through stories passed down about his heroism in promoting Christianity and African culture.

But it is honour that was bestowed upon him by the Queen that has stuck in the memories of many elderly people.

Members of the Luo Council of Elders claim he was a charismatic leader and that is why he was among the few Kenyans who were invited to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.

His family guards the award he was given and has kept his photographs with the Queen.

According to his only surviving son, Daniel Rachuonyo Mboya, the late chief was an embodiment of the Whiteman's culture.

Paul Mboya had earned the respect of the ruling British government through his work in Karachuonyo and was among the most revered collaborators.

He was among the first Africans to convert to Christianity by joining the Gendia Mission Seventh Day Adventist Church.

Daniel who served as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and later as Kenya's ambassador to the Sudan during President Daniel Moi's regime, remembers his late father as an influential leader whose contribution to civilisation was immense.

Leadership qualities

Daniel remembers vividly the events leading to that all-important trip to the Queen's coronation which he attributes to his father's leadership qualities that enabled him to balance serving the government while also protecting the interests of locals.

"In 1952, my father and mother were invited to the Government House in Nairobi, now called State House to a ceremony to welcome the princess just before she went to Treetops Hotel in Nyeri," said Daniel.

In 1953, the colonial chief was invited to London to attend the coronation of the new Queen. On his return, he wrote a book; Wadhi e coronation (We are attending a coronation).

He detailed how he was among the noticeable people during the coronation and how his close relationship with the British monarch inspired his clan.

Others who attended the coronation were Chief Nathaniel Mbele from Taita Taveta in Coast, Joel Omino who hailed from Central Nyanza, Chief Daudi Kandie from Baringo in Rift Valley, Gideon Mpoke from Narok also in Rift Valley, Jeremiah Pekoli from Kenya Tea Company in Kericho and Mulama from the African Appeal Court in North Nyanza.

Paul travelled with his wife and in his book describes the journey as full of wonders.

It started from Kendu by boat to Kisumu before they boarded a plane to Nairobi where they spent three days before boarding British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) plane with stopovers in Khartoum, Cairo, Rome and eventually landing in London.

Mboya recounts how they were given royal treatment like being hosted in big hotels in London and describes the city tours they had in official cars and how they were included in the VIP list.

After the coronation, the Mboyas and the rest of the Kenyan representatives were given medals and some tokens in envelopes.

Very civilised

Although this was not his first time in London for he was also in a delegation that had earlier attended the Victory Parade in 1946, the most impact was felt after the one-month coronation visit.

On his return, he was asked by the then Kisii District Commissioner (who was the chair of Africa District Council) to tell the locals about what he had learnt.

He shared his experiences with locals and the colonialists showered his clan with gifts.

The development brought respect to his clan whose members started calling themselves 'Jo British' (The British).

"He was given a chance to build a school and he did that in Homa Bay and it is the current Homa Bay High School," Daniel, the son, said.

"He also built a vocational training centre which is today renamed Paul Mboya Vocational Training Centre."

Following the numerous development projects that the British regime had implemented in the area as a result of the collaboration, residents believed that they were part of the British.

"Most people started referring to us as 'Jo British'. There was a belief that we were very civilised and English language gained traction among locals," said Daniel.

When they received the news of the Queen's death, the villagers went in to mourning

While paying his tribute to the late Queen, Joseph Ongalo described her as a kind-hearted person who meant well to all including those she didn't know.

"We were saddened by the news. When the Queen visited Kenya, we were very young and it was Paul whom she knew very well and who was showing her around," said Ongalo.

Ongalo also refers to himself as 'Ja British.'

Nyandiko Ongadi, who heads one of the factions of the Luo Council of Elders, said Mboya was their leader who had a close relationship with the royals and brought the experience home.

According to Ongadi, the charisma of the legendary chief is what influenced the British colonialists to recommend him to be awarded Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire title.

He played a key role in fostering unity and advancing both African and Western cultures.

Ongadi said that Mboya's charisma earned him recognition among the colonialists and Kenyans.

Even before Queen Elizabeth II was coronated, Mboya had in 1938 authored a book about the Luo community detailing their beliefs, culture and traditions.

Joachim Owino, another elder said that the Queen did them a great favour when she recognised the contribution of Mboya, and added that they will embrace the British culture for several years.

"The Queen recognised the efforts of one of us and that is no mean feat. We mourn her," said Owino.