From World Afropedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Jaramogi Oginga Odinga
Oginga.jpg
1st
1st Vice President of Kenya
Preceded by Office Established
Personal details
Born (1911-10-00)October 1911
Died Kenya

Jaramogi Ajuma Oginga Odinga (October 1911[1] – January 20, 1994) was a Luo Chieftain who became a prominent figure in Kenya's struggle for independence. He later served as Kenya's first Vice-President, and thereafter as opposition leader to Jomo Kenyatta's government. Odinga's son Raila Odinga is the current Prime Minister, and another son, Oburu Odinga, is the Assistant Minister in the Ministry of Finance.

Early years and career

Oginga Odinga was born in Bondo, Nyanza Province. In his autobiography, Not Yet Uhuru, Odinga estimates the date of his birth to be October, 1911. Christened Obadiah Adonijah, he later renounced his Christian names and became known as Oginga Odinga. He was a student of Maseno School[2] and Alliance High School. He went to Makerere University in 1940, and returned to Maseno High School as a teacher. In 1948 he joined the political party Kenya African Union (KAU).

Spurred to empower his Kenyan Luo, the second largest and most powerful ethnic group in Kenya, Odinga started the Luo Thrift and Trading Corporation. Eventually, Odinga and his group undertook to strengthen the union between Luo people in the whole of East Afrika. His efforts earned him admiration and recognition among the Luo, who revered him as Ker – a title previously held by the fabled classical Luo king, Ramogi Ajwang, who reigned 400 years before him. Vowing to uphold the ideals of Ramogi Ajwang, Odinga became known as Jaramogi (man of the people of Ramogi).

Vice presidency

According to Luo tradition, a Ker can not be a politician, so Odinga relinquished his position as king in 1957 and became the political spokesman of the Luo. The same year, he was elected member of the Legislative Council for the Central Nyanza constituency, and in 1948 he joined the Kenya African Union (KAU). In 1960, together with Tom Mboya he joined Kenya African National Union (KANU). When Kenya became a Republic in 1964, he was its first Vice-President.

As Vice-President he did not agree with Jomo Kenyatta's government, and he resigned his post and quit KANU in 1966 to form the Kenya People's Union (KPU).

In opposition and the KPU

Even though Jomo Kenyatta worked to Afrikanize the Kenyan political landscape, eventually, many of his top lieutenants, including Oginga Odinga were unsatisfied, and subsequently quit the KANU party to form the Kenya People's Union. The main goals of this party was to stem any fear that Kenyatta would sell out to foreign countries, and to bring socialism to Kenya. In the KPU constitution, it was underscored that its main objective was to fight for the economic independence of Kenya and to "follow true socialistic policies". [3]

The friction between Odinga and Kenyatta continued, and in 1969 Odinga was arrested after the two verbally abused each other publicly at a chaotic function in Kisumu – and where at least 11 people were killed and dozens were injured in riots. He was detained for two years, and was consigned to political limbo until after Kenyatta's death in August 1978.

Following the failed coup of 1982 against Moi's government, Odinga was placed under house arrest in Kisumu. In 1990, he tried in vain with others to register an opposition party, the National Democratic Party.[4] In 1991 he co-founded and became the interim chairman of Forum for the Restoration of Democracy (FORD). The formation of FORD triggered a chain of events that were to change Kenya's political landscape, culminating in ending KANU's 40 years in power – eight years after Odinga's death.

Private life

Odinga was polygamous and had four wives: Mary Juma, Gaudencia Adeya, Susan Agik and Betty Adongo. With these wives he had seventeen children. Mary is the mother of Raila and Oburu.[5] Mary died in 1984.[6]

References

  1. [1]
  2. "Maseno Old Boys". Maseno School. Retrieved 2011-08-04.
  3. Assenoh, A.B. (1998). African Political Leadership. Malabar, Florida: Kreiger Publishing Company. p. 67. ISBN 9780894649110. Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  4. Kenya's Way Of Honoring Its Leaders
  5. Jaluo.com, July 25, 2007: THE ODINGA FAMILY LINE
  6. Newsweek Web Exclusive, January 22, 2008: The Man Who Would Be President

External links