As I have said here many times before, as Kenya approached independence, the two front runners for the top office were both from the Luo community, namely Tom Mboya and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga (Raila’s father). The older Odinga sensing defeat in the hands of the young Mboya couldn’t take it and decided to play a political trump card to completely wipe out his opponent and bitter political rival. He led a campaign insisting that Jomo Kenyatta (then incarcerated) be released from detention and that Kenyans would not accept independence without Kenyatta’s release.
So rather than see the leadership of Kenya go to one of his own, Jaramogi was prepared to sacrifice the presidency and hand it over to another community.
This is one of the characteristics people suffering from rejection usually have. They are sometimes deeply envious and jealous of those close to them and will do anything to stop them.
There are many characteristics in our beloved Luo community that speak of rejection. The reason for most Kenyans not accepting them is NOT because of circumcision. It is something much deeper than that.
I found it in a little know part of the community’s history after much digging.
It is widely known that the Luo migrated into East Africa from a place in Sudan called Bahr-el-Ghazal. But few talk of where they arrived from when they settled in Bahr-el-Ghazal. My research shows that they actually originated from far in the Western part of Africa in present day Nigeria. My sources indicate that the reason the early Luos left Nigeria was because of a very serious quarrel between two brothers, Uthieno and Gillo. Gillo was killed in the ensuing fight between the brothers. It is said that Uthieno killed him in a jealous rage. Uthieno is the father of modern day Luos.
This web site seems to confirm some of these facts although the version here is a little different at one point 3 brothers are mentioned. The general facts are however similar in many ways.
The really fascinating thing here is that there has been talk (half jokingly) about the Luos seceding from Kenya if they continue to be treated as second class citizens. This is just a replay of what the community has suffered during the constant movement first from the West (Nigeria) and then from Sudan. I have tried unsuccessfully to determine the real reason why the Luo moved from Bahr-el-Ghazal, but understanding their history it is not too difficult to guess why.
That is the sad story of the Luo community. My best friends and some of the most talented and highly educated Kenyans. The community whose main capital is where I happened to have been born and the same city where I met my wife two decades or so later.
The objective of my research is NOT to give silly PNU propagandists ammunition for a new email spam campaign. Rather it is to reveal the truth so that a process of healing may begin for these brothers whom I hold very dearly and so close to my heart that I have often been accused here of being an ODM sympathizer.
As the good book says; you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.
