Mourners allege foul play in ex-Masinde Muliro VC’s death

The family, friends and a section of council members of Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) have alleged foul play in the death of former Vice-Chancellor Fredrick Otieno.

They accused senior officials at the institution of conspiring to eliminate Prof Otieno for standing on their way in an attempt to swindle funds from the university.

“The professor was always worried about his life after his five-year term in office ended. Well-known cartels kept threatening him,” alleged his elder brother Harold Otieno on Saturday.  

RUN ERRANDS

Despite owning a fleet of vehicles, he said, the 63-year-old don used public service vehicles and boda boda to run errands.

“Just days before he met his death, he boarded a bus to Nairobi. On his way back, he alighted in Nakuru before boarding another vehicle to his home at Riat in Kisumu County,” he told mourners on Saturday.

The VCs brother also called on the Directorate of Criminal Investigation to probe one of MMUST staff who allegedly took Prof Otieno to a local hospital after he fell unconscious in his Kisumu home before he was transferred to Eldoret.

“My brother was not sick but his condition worsened after he was taken to a hospital,” he said.

Three days before his death, Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya was to meet Prof Otieno over certain issues at MMUST.

“Unfortunately we did not discuss the matter after he fell ill and he could not talk when I visited him in hospital in Eldoret,” Governor Oparanya said.

POISON

Mr Kennedy Echesa who is the chair of MMUST alumni association said the former VC survived two poisoning attempts by senior officials at the institution.

“Some members of the council wanted him out after he refused to allow unnecessary council meetings for members to draw out undeserved allowances and waste public resources,” he said.

Kisumu West MP Olago Aluoch said politicising appointments in the management of institutions of higher learning threatened quality of education.

 “Prof Otieno was always stressed because his reputation was unfairly being damaged," he said.

Mr Aluoch said it was unfortunate that he met the late Prof Otieno and Court of Appeal Judge Otieno Odek two weeks before their death at Nyanza Golf Club. Justice Odek tried to introduce Prof Otieno to play golf.

INTEGRITY

“They agreed to meet frequently afterwards but they died at the same time under mysterious circumstances,” said the legislator.

Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo described the former VC as a person of integrity.

"Some people always tried to implicate Prof Otieno in under-hand dealings by dragging his name to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and other agencies," said the MP.

Dr Florence Otieno, Prof Otieno's widow, eulogised her husband as a man who put a smile on people's faces.

She, however, noted that the last five years had been tormenting to the family as he fought a myriad of graft allegations against him.  

Until his death, Prof Otieno was the chairman of Kakamega County Urban Water and Sanitation Corporation. He has left behind three children.

ACK Reverend Elizabeth Oketch called on mourners to forgive those who trespass against them.