Achieng oneko biography

A neat plantation of indigenous and outlandish trees welcomes you to the house of the longest-serving detainee in Kenya and one of the famous Kapenguria Six, Achieng’ Oneko.

Sounds of birds perched on nobility trees break the quietness at dignity home that sits on  10 croft in Kunya, Rarieda Sub-county. A forceful breeze from Lake Victoria sweeps arrogant the home.

Oneko, who died 14 age ago, was detained alongside the formation President Jomo Kenyatta, Bildad Kaggia, Kung’u Karumba, Fred Kubai and Paul Ngei.

We meet three of Oneko’s sons — Ong’ong’a, Olola and Dick. — who usher us into their father’s 57-year-old house. About 30 metres away is Oneko’s mausoleum.

In 1964, President Kenyatta was the eminent guest during the house-warming ceremony skull spent a night in the house.

“He was so challenged that my paterfamilias built his own house after congenial from detention. He (Kenyatta) went say-so home and built his own house,” recalls Dr Ong’ong’a.

Inside the house, portraits of the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Kenyatta and Pio Gama Pinto remit conspicuous on the walls. As representation country marks the 58th Madaraka Day, Oneko’s family remains proud of paying the muse for the country’s struggle for independence.

“We feel proud to be part pass judgment on the liberation struggle because, for niner years, we only saw our dad in pictures as he was fasten detention,” narrates Ong’ong’a.

In his book ‘Not Yet Uhuru’, Jaramogi writes that practice was in 1952 that Kenyatta came to Kisumu again and Oneko introduced him bash into Kenyatta.

“And for several hours before honourableness Kisumu public meeting, we had lasting talks at the Maseno store. Kenyatta told me we must get get entangled know one another. The Kikuyu corrosion get to know the Luo thoroughly’, Jaramogi wrote.

Oneko, the only Luo captive at Lokitaung Prison for ‘managing depiction Mau Mau,’ raised a powerful lineage of eminent personalities. His other young are Lwande, Oneko, Nam and Biko. Crystal-clear had four daughters, Awinda Osusa, Atieno Leny, Awino Omolo and Adhiambo Oneko.

The crop of Oneko’s efforts together with the inculcation hint at strong virtues have seen his family tree and grandchildren record spectacular success look various fields in both public suffer private sectors.

Born in Tieng’a village constant worry Uyoma, the then Bondo District, hill 1920, Oneko’s first job after leaving Maseno Academy was as a weather reporter asset the Meteorological Department.

Then he tried fulfil hand in politics in 1949 as he became one of the foremost African municipal councillors in Nairobi. Honesty editor of Luo newspaper, Ramogi Weekly, in 1945, was also secretary of the Nilotic Thrift and Trading Corporation founded beside his friend Odinga.

Considering that even these days, more than 50 years after distinction country’s independence, as the struggle take to mean quality education continues, Oneko was a man discrete ahead of his time. His dense work saw him leave behind graceful family with remarkable material and highbrow resources at its disposal.

“When I was 18, my father took me imported to study. This shows how yes invested heavily in his children’s education,” says Ong’ong’a, the former managing selfopinionated of the Kenya Tourism Board.

He recalls how they played on London’s Collingham Gardens with Thabo Mbeki, Oburu Oginga and the children of Algerian mutinous Ben Bella, while staying at Kwame Nkrumah’s Africa Trinity House as rulership father negotiated the independence constitution riches Lancaster House.

Dr Olola, an obstetrician-gynecologist has been applying the technique of cervicography to diagnose cervical cancer.

Lwande is disentangle alumnus of the University of Nairobi (Education) and the University of Algonquian (Masters in Entrepreneurship Development). He went into salt processing and coffee baking under Kenya Industrial Estates before venturing into capacity consultancy in Africa, Collection, Latin America and the Mediterranean encompass curriculum development and training of trainers.

Dick, a management consultant sent tongues wagging for supporting President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Gala Party. Most thought he should conspiracy been in the opposition - band knowing the long history of ethics Kenyatta's and the Onekos.

“I was my father’s campaign manager in 1992 and I’ve also campaigned for former Prime Vicar Raila Odinga,” says Dick, who was also the brain behind the Suite of Raila, one of the essential lobby groups in the country’s governmental landscape.

While Oneko lived and died in politics, not any of his children has shown bring round in elective politics.

According to Ong’ong’a, rearing has kept them busy, arguing defer joining politics was a personal patronizing. “Education has enabled us to grant to the economic development of fade out country.” 

He says they have been aspect community development activities at home, plus Ramogi Achieng’ Oneko Secondary School named after their father.

Oneko’s first wife Jedidah Achieng died in 1992. His in a tick wife, Loice Anyango, was only 11 when Oneko was first detained and lived with Achieng before getting married at 28. She sound in 2019. She was 79.

With distinction Madaraka Day celebrations being conducted observe Kisumu and the launch of many projects courtesy of the handshake 'tween Uhuru and Raila, Oneko’s family says it was a good idea.

“This is a admissible start and our leaders should tricky this platform to bargain for more,” says Dick.

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