Kibra MP was humble man with big heart, mourners say at mass

The late Kibera MP Kenneth Okoth's wife Monica Okoth (Second R), Family friend Jayne Kinyua (R) and Raphael Tuju sing a hymn during the Memorial Service at Starehe Boys Centre and school on July 31 2019. [Photo/Stafford Ondego]

Departed Kibra MP Ken Okoth has been eulogised as a humble man with a big heart for service to humanity.

Many who spoke at a memorial service yesterday, said they simply called him Odhis. 

Friends, family and colleagues gathered at Starehe Boys Centre for a memorial service for the MP who died on Friday after a battle with colorectal cancer.

The official flag of the school was at half-mast, a sign of respect to one of their own. Okoth was an old boy of the school.

Despite the threatening cloudy weather, speaker after speaker poured out their hearts, reminiscing the good days they shared with OKoth.

The skies joined in the eulogy, as it poured.

At one point, a music break was called by Starehe Boys Centre acting director Joseph Mwaura, and the students sang along to Bob Marley's hit Everything's Gonna be Alright.

It was evident that reggae was Okoth's favourite music genre, as his childhood friend of 34 years, Canute Waswa, confirmed.

Mr Waswa, who grew up with Okoth in Kibra, said he never knew him as Ken or Okoth but simply as Odhis.

And when Okoth won the Kibra parliamentary seat in 2013 and was given a grant to buy a car, he called Mr Waswa for the big news. "Waswa, unajua vile reggae inadunda kwa gari kubwa? (Waswa, can you imagine how reggae sounds in the big car," he recalled, leaving the crowd in stitches.

Waswa, also an alumnus of Starehe, reminisced the struggles they went through as Okoth's campaign manager.

"The title of a campaign manager sounds majestic on paper, but when you are a campaign manager for a broke man, 90 per cent of the time you are begging for money," he said.

Luckily, Old Starehian Society came to their rescue and funds were made available for campaign after 750 calls.

Former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth and Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju, both old boys of Starehe, were present at yesterday's mass.

The late Kibera MP Kenneth Okoth's mother Angeline Okoth arrives on a wheelchair for the Memorial Service at Starehe Boys Centre and school on July 31, 2019. [Photo: Stafford Ondego]

Mr Kenneth said the relationship between him and Okoth went beyond politics. 

He said the MP was humble and was keen to represent the interests of people of Kibra.

Kenneth recalled that when Okoth ran for the Kibra MP seat in 2013, he was worried that he might not win nominations.

"He called me and I reserved a ticket for him in my party just in case," said Kenneth. "It is so sad to lose Ken at such a young age, a man who had a vision on how to transform Kenya."

Mr Tuju recognised the hard work and resilience exhibited by Okoth during his tenure in Parliament, especially on how he managed Constituency Development Fund.

"We were best of friends. There is nothing we did not know about each other. There is nothing we have not forgiven each other," said Monicah, Okoth's wife. 

Monica said during the last two years, despite having a hard time, Okoth never gave up.

"He would still go to every doctor's appointment already aware of what the doctor would say because he had done his research," she said. 

The controversy concerning Okoth's paternal heritage could not be shelved in the service.

When Bobby, his elder brother, stood to make his remarks, he chose to set the record straight.

"Ken was brought up by a single parent, fully by his mother Angelina, who is here. So for all who are hearing stories out there on social media, take this from me as the absolute truth," said Bobby.

The service could not end without the mention of Okoth's push to have marijuana legalised.

Rev Josphat Wangoto said the herb (marijuana) was created by God "and when in good hands, it can do more good than harm, especially for cancer patients".