All I want is only peace, Raila says in Nyagarama burial

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has called for peace and a united nation as he mourned the late Nyamira Governor John Nyagarama.

 The ODM Party leader sang a Luo dirge and chanted, 'Jowi! Jowi!' described the fallen governor as a fierce lion. Jowi is Dholuo for buffalo, in this case referring to the stature of  the fallen man of repute.

“We have lost a brave friend, comrade in arms… He was a man of few words and loved development,” he said.

The ODM leader was also quick to remind Kenyans to support the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) which he said is aimed at uniting Kenyans.

“Kenyans have been fighting… I want to see a peaceful nation. That is the legacy we want to bequeath the people of Kenya and that is the meaning of handshake,” he said.

The former Premier (pictured) added that a peaceful nation was the essence of the handshake between him and President Uhuru Kenyatta.

President Uhuru's message read by Interior CS Fred Matiang’i had conveyed similar sentiments.

The Head of State said the governor was synonymous with discipline and success.

Nyangarama has been described as a peaceful and down-to-earth leader who was passionate with education and development matters.

Several leaders including devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa, Governors James Ongwae (Kisii), Okoth Obado (Migori), Cyprian Awiti (Homabay) were in attendance.

About Nyagarama

Nyagarama was be buried at his Tente home in Nyamira County. The Governor died last week while admitted at a Nairobi Hospital.

He is the fourth governor to die in office since 2013.

Nyagarama, 74, was elected in 2013 after unsuccessfully trying to clinch the West Mugirango parliamentary seat on two occasions.

He defeated Charles Mochama and eight others to become the first governor of the county in the 2013 polls.

In 2017, he won with a margin of over 7,000 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Walter Nyambati, and nine other candidates.

Before plunging into politics, Nyagarama resigned as an English and Literature teacher at Menyenya SDA Mixed High School, a job he had held for 12 years after his graduation from the University of Nairobi with a Bachelors of Education.

He attended Nyakemincha Primary School before proceeding to Maseno School for his O-levels. He joined Kisii High School for ‘A’ level studies before being admitted to Kenyatta College, which was then a constituent of the University of Nairobi.