Pomp and colour as Mboya is remembered

Hundreds of Homa Bay residents on Monday thronged the home of former Cabinet minister Tom Joseph Mboya for the 46th anniversary of his assassination.

The residents of Kamasengere Village on Rusinga Island gathered for prayers at the graveside of the former Economic Planning minister, who died in July 1969.

Homa Bay Governor Cyprian Awiti officially opened the newly refurbished Mboya Mausoleum

Clergymen led by the Rev Moses Kisa and the Rev Robert Sewe, both from the Kakrigu Catholic Church, led memorial prayers at Sunday’s event.

Various cultural performances were staged by Suba and Kochia/Kagan traditional dancers.

Speakers at the fete, who included members of the Suba and Luo council of elders, lauded the county government for organising the event. Ker Omugambi Thomas Okanga of Suba and the Luo Ker Lucas Ariko urged the county to make the occasion an annual event.

A former close associate of the late Mboya, Mzee Odhiambo Nyangani, recalled the gloom and sorrow that engulfed the country following his death.

Kasipul Kabondo MP Silvance Osele said Mboya inspired him to join trade unionism.

County Commissioner Naphtally Mungathia challenged the people to embrace forgiveness.

“Let whoever killed Mboya be forgiven. Let us also forgive anybody who had a sinister motive that led to his death,” he said.

Governor Awiti described the late Mboya as a great Pan-Africanist, tough trade unionist, a tactful politician and a philanthropist.

Mr Awiti said US President Barack Obama, who is due to visit Kenya in two weeks’ time, was an indirect consequence of Mr Mboya’s philanthropy as his father, Mr Barack Obama Senior, benefited from the famous airlift that saw many Kenyans travel to America for studies.