Oneko writes that his decision to participate in politics was not driven by personal ambition but by a strong philosophical and ideological belief in self-determination. After completing his studies at Maseno, he joined the Kenya African Union (KAU) and became one of its leading officials.
According to Oneko, the colonial government became alarmed as KAU began addressing rallies and advocating for political change. He says the colonialists described him as the "mighty KAU President" and a "new Prophet of the Luo", portraying him as a key figure behind Jomo Kenyatta's dream of an independent Kenya.
The book also examines the role of church missionaries in the colonisation of Kenya. Oneko argues that missionaries who arrived with Bibles and hymn books helped pave the way for colonialists, who later used weapons to annex land and protect themselves and the property they had taken. He says Africans were portrayed as backward, primitive, pagan, and uncivilised, while African landowners were accused of laziness and irresponsibility.
Oneko also highlights the values instilled in him by elders, including trust, discipline, honesty, justice, and fidelity. His commitment to community development saw him work with Jaramogi Oginga Odinga to establish the Luo Thrift Trading Corporation Ltd.
His growing involvement in politics eventually led to his removal from the corporation. In a letter dated May 20, 1952, Odinga wrote that Oneko had become deeply and directly involved in politics in confrontation with the government and should not be reinstated as the corporation's secretary.
Oneko recounts his political collaboration with Kenyatta, including efforts to bring Luos and Kikuyus together in the struggle against colonial rule. He was later arrested, charged with being a member of Mau Mau, and detained for nine years.
The book also discusses the education airlifts organised by Kenyan leaders after independence. Oneko and Odinga worked to send Kenyan students to Eastern Europe and Asian countries, particularly East Germany and the Soviet Union, while Tom Mboya led another major airlift to the United States. The initiatives enabled many young Kenyans to return home and take up jobs and positions previously held by Europeans.
Oneko also reflects on the growing political divisions among Kenya's independence leaders between 1963 and 1969. He describes a period marked by hostility, separation, betrayal, and assassinations, culminating in his detention by the Kenyatta government in October 1969.
As Minister for Information, Broadcasting, Wildlife and Tourism, Oneko established the Kenya News Agency (KNA), Voice of Kenya (VOK), and other state-funded media agencies, including the Voice of Kenya Training School, which later became the Kenya Institute of Mass Communications.
The book also recounts Oneko's relationship with Tom Mboya and his role as an intermediary between Mboya and Odinga during efforts to reconcile the two leaders. Following Mboya's assassination, Oneko, then Secretary for Publicity of the Kenya People's Union (KPU), was cautious in his public response, saying, "Let us all mourn our son; he belonged to all of us."
Soon afterwards, Oneko was ordered to report to Bondo police station and was detained again for six years. Reflecting on his relationship with Kenyatta, whom he had regarded as a father, comrade, and friend, Oneko described the experience as painful and unbelievable. He also regretted leaving government, saying he might have been able to push things from within.
Price of Freedom is presented as a landmark contribution to the literature of Kenyan history. It raises questions about the goals of independence, inter-ethnic relations, the management of ethnic diversity, justice and equity in the sharing of national resources, and the economic mobility of citizens.
"I commend this book to every citizen," remarks by Raila Odinga before he died last year and ahead of the publication of the book.