The granny who fought for uhuru

By John Oywa

Her wrinkled face lights up at the prospect of taking us down memory lane and reliving rubbing shoulders with the mighty in her fight for uhuru.

Fifty years after she joined the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and President Jomo Kenyatta in fighting for Kenya’s independence, 89-year-old Magdalene Aboge Alila remains stubborn and unapologetic about her years in opposition politics. Her admirers call her ‘Mama Uhuru’.

Mama Aboge with her family and relatives at her Bandani home, Kisumu. Photo: James Keyi/Standard

Addressing a rally in Kisumu in the 1960s.

With former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in Kisumu in mid 1960s.

The uprising brightened Aboge’s star and made her an instant hit among politicians and trade unions.

Outspoken politicians of that time — Dickson Oruko Makasembo, Otieno Oyoo and Ombok Thim — wooed her into joining the African District Association (Ada) that was secretly fighting to overthrow the colonial government.

The association that was formed as a welfare group in the late 1950s to serve the interests of Nyanza people quickly became a nightmare for the government.

Aboge was appointed leader of the female wing of Ada in what was then Central Nyanza. She worked closely with Jaramogi and other nationalists such as Mbiyu Koinange and Munyua Waiyaki. Ada also pushed for the release of Mzee Kenyatta and his co-detainees.

Her troubles started soon after independence during a Kenya African National Union (Kanu) meeting in Nairobi at which some people questioned the continued presence of colonialists in the newly formed Government.

"This did not go down well with the administration which felt we were agents of some secret group from the western part of the country who wanted to overthrow the new government in favour of certain pro-communist radicals," she recalls.

Upon her return from her trip to Russia and other countries, she got into trouble with Kenyatta, who sent her to jail.

Released from prison

"I was arrested alongside eight men on suspicion we were planning to remove him from power. This was despite the fact that we demanded his release from prison in Kapenguria," Aboge says.

"I was the only woman among those arrested. I was sent to Lang’ata Women’s Prison where I spent three months behind bars," she says.

The group was released following a deal between Kenyatta and Jaramogi.

Almost three decades later, when Jaramogi teamed up with opposition leaders Kenneth Matiba, George Nthenge, Oyangi Mbaja, Martin Shikuku and George Anyona to rekindle the clamour for multi-party politics in 1990, Aboge joined them.

She was a common figure at meetings organised by the Forum for the Restoration of Democracy (Ford) party that was later split into Ford Asili and Ford Kenya.

Jaramogi’s death in 1994 devastated her, but she shifted her support to his son, Raila Odinga, who still consults her do date.

High profile visitors

Earlier this month, Raila, now Prime Minister, drove to her home in Bandani village in the outskirts of Kisumu town where the two held a two-hour private talk.

And perhaps still bound by the oath to keep political secrets, Aboge declined to tell us what they discussed.

"Please let us not discuss that. It’s our secret," she said.

Raila described Aboge as a scion of liberation politics in Kenya.

"Without people like Mama Aboge, Kenya might still have been under colonial yoke. They gave us the strength to march on into the second liberation," said Raila.

Aboge is unhappy with the Grand Coalition Government but wants the ODM team to "persevere" and fight from inside.

"The fight must continue until we get what we have wanted since Independence — good governance," she says.

Although old age and sickness have confined her at home, Aboge insists she has not quit politics.

"I am still as tough headed as I was many years ago when men used to fear me," she says emphatically.

Her fourth born son, Paul Ouma, 57, describes his mother as a legendary woman.

"She has remained sensitive and focused despite her ill-health. Senior politicians from Nyanza always consult her during elections. They also come to seek her advice during times of conflict," says Ouma, a retired primary school teacher.

She wants women to fight for political space both in Parliament and local authorities.