Ten bulls to be slaughtered at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga's commemoration

The late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga. [PHOTO: STANDARD/FILE]

BY LAWRENCE ALURU

BONDO, KENYA: Preparations for the annual commemoration for Kenya's first Vice-President Jaramogi Oginga Odinga are complete.

People from all walks of life among them local and international political heavyweights are expected at the ceremony, where veteran politician Burudi Nabwera will also be in attendance.

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) nominated MP Oburu Odinga said the commemoration will begin with a symposium at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology.

The eldest son of the late freedom fighter, Dr Oburu said that the key note speaker will be Nabwera who will be assisted by Kisumu Senator Anyang Nyong’o.

Oburu said speeches at the symposium will take three hours in the afternoon and will be followed by a friendly football match between Gor Mahia and Bondo United.

Oburu told The Standard they have set aside 10 bulls to be slaughtered to feed the visitors.

At the symposium, there will be the history of the late Jaramogi’s struggle for democratic space and how he contributed in liberating Kenya from the one party state in 1992.

The two day ceremony will be climaxed on Saturday beginning with prayers at Nyamira Anglican Church and thereafter, invited guests will join the family at the home of the late founder of Forum for Restoration and Democracy (FORD) at Akango home in Nyamira.

The Kenya’s first ambassador to the US and permanent representative to the United Nations in the 1960s, Nabwera will be the chief guest at the event that will see many politicians come together.

“We expect many guests and many politician friends to join us during the celebrations at the home of Mzee,” Dr Oburu said.

This will be the twentieth commemoration. Odinga died on January 21, 1994, at the Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu at 83.

Elders from Jaramogi’s clan have laid out an elaborate traditional ceremony complete with special rites reserved for a person of his status.

Together with the founding President Jomo Kenyatta, Paul Ngei, Kungu Karumba, Bildad Kaggia and Fred Kubai, Jaramogi’s name is synonymous with the history of the independence struggle.