Riddle of why ‘Kavirondo’ dominates labour movement

By OSCAR OBONYO

From the days of the charismatic Tom Mboya, the forceful Dennis Akumu, to the theatrical Francis Atwoli, western Kenya has produced the country’s labour movement heavyweights.

Except for Juma Boy and Justus Mulei, since independence all secretary-generals of the giant Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) have hailed from the region.

While statistics clearly indicate that leadership positions in various trade unions have since independence been crammed by individuals from the western region, many, including union officials, remain hazy why this is the case.

"There is no doubt we make better and acceptable leaders. The fact that we have dominated the trade union movement attests to this. But I cannot pinpoint particular attributes that make us tick," concedes Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Chairman, George Wesonga.

However, former Cabinet minister Mukhisa Kituyi attributes the trend to the ‘fact’ that people from the region are known to be natural risk-takers.

He notes the trade union movement rose to relevance owing to people being cowed by authority at work or in Government.

"Somebody had to stand up in defence of the browbeaten. And it is the Kavirondo (members of the Luhya and Luo community) who have been ready to break this culture of fear," explains Dr Kituyi, a political scientist.

　

Hard-workers

Kavirondo was the general name of the people who dwelt in the valley of the Nzoia River, or Kavirondo Gulf, under the British protectorate.

According to veteran politician and one-time trade unionist, Martin Shikuku, the Kavirondo people are hard-workers and constitute the largest proportion of the labour movement.

"Right from the early post-independence period in 1960s, our people were scattered in flower, tea and sisal farms in Rift Valley, Central and Coast provinces. Many more were in the electricity and hospitality industry," says Shikuku.

It is from here, explains the politician, that the leadership of some like Mboya, Akumu, Ochola Mak’Anyengo, Clement Lubembe, and Arthur Ochwada was honed. The imprisonment of freedom fighters Jomo Kenyatta, Paul Ngei, Achieng’ Oneko, Bildad Kaggia, Fred Kubai and Kung’u Karumba, further gave the group impetus.

Union heavyweights

The unionists adequately filled the void left by politicians arrested by the Colonial Government, following Sir Evelyn Barring’s declaration of State of Emergence in 1952.

Since then, western region has remained home of the trade union heavyweights. Some worked their way into politics and became MPs, such as Mboya (Kamukunji), Akumu (Nyakach), Lubembe (Shinyalu) and Ochwada (Funyula).

Meanwhile, top unionists Atwoli and Wesonga are reportedly eyeing Khwisero and Butula parliamentary seats in the 2012 General Election.

If they succeed, they will have emulated former Bungoma Knut district secretary-generals Bifwoli Wakoli (Bumula) and former Sirisia MP John Munyasia.

Other big names from the region include former Cotu secretary-general Joseph Mugalla and former Knut big guns Ambrose Adongo and John Katumanga.

There is also Were Agutu (Secretary-General of the Chemical and Allied Workers Union), former Kenya Union of Journalists secretary general George Odiko and politician Waliaula Rajab.

And even Kuppet, a Knut splinter group for tertiary and secondary teachers, fell in the hands of Wanyonyi Buteyo (Secretary-General) and Akello Misori (Chairman). Njeru Kanyamba has since replaced Wanyonyi.

Leadership abilities

But despite exhibiting leadership qualities at the trade union level, Kavirondo leaders have totally failed to translate the same to national political leadership.

"Despite demonstrating high intellectual and leadership abilities, our fire, as members of the Kavirondo community, has been compromised by financial and material defects," says Kituyi.

The former Kimilili MP regrets energies of most politicians from the region go down the drain at the ‘crucial moment’ as they are compelled to play subordinate to financial muscle.