Title: Luo Clans and Legends

By Felix O. Okatch

Reviewer: John Paschal Wanyama

Every community is proud of its history, especially its origin, culture, language, and its socio-economic and political achievements made against great odds. The same is true of the Luo community of western Kenya, which the author of the book titled, Luo Clans and Legends, Felix O. Okatch, chronicles in this rich historical account.

This book is about a community that has played a pivotal role in Kenya’s cultural, socio-economic and political development from the pre-colonial, colonial and post-independence eras.

Covered in this brand new book are 12 broad Luo clan groups — Alego, Asembo, Gem, Kadimo (Yimbo), Kajulu, Kano, Kisumo, Nyakach, Sakwa, Seme, Ugenya, and Uyoma. The author profusely apologises for his inability at this stage to cover the southern Nyanza clans as well. But he says he has done his bit and hopes someone else will take it up from there. But nothing would prevent him from penning a sequel to this 300-page tome.

The writer reinforces his community’s great pride in clan names. Indeed, some people are better known by their clan names, especially among their peers, as if to continually remind others of where they come from.

Available statistics indicate that 5 million people speak Dholuo in Kenya and 1 million elsewhere in East Africa, especially in Uganda. There is also a sizeable Luo community in Shirati in northwestern Tanzania. A famous Luo with Shirati roots is legendary musician Daniel Owino Misiani, one of the Benga greats. His group was known as Shirati Jazz Band.

The author’s rural home is in Gem, Siaya County. His late father, Peter Okatch, was a prominent trade unionist, who worked in Nairobi and Kampala. He was a legend in trade unionism.

This book, which contains interesting black and white photos from the past, traces the development of the Nyanza region, and contributions of missionaries, and other pioneer religious leaders. There are also pictures of colonial administrators such as the last British Governor of Kenya, Sir Evelyn Baring, and African chiefs.

The author acknowledges the stellar contributions of such great people as pioneer writer Paul Mbuya, and top historians Bethwel Allan Ogot and Atieno Odhiambo.

Also captured are the interactions of the Luo with neighbouring Luhya sub-tribes, especially Wanga, whose King Mumia Nabongo, exercised some control as an ally of the colonialists. Others are Abanyole and Kisa. The neighbours intermarried but also fought battles over land.

The Luo legends include Ambrose M. Ofafa of Alego Kalkada, who was assassinated in Nairobi at the height of the Mau Mau uprising. Two residential estates in Nairobi’s Eastlands, Ofafa Maringo and Ofafa Jericho, were named after him.

Ofafa, who was the national treasurer of the Kenya African Union (KAU), the precursor to the Kenya African National Union (KANU), and the Nairobi City Council Finance and General Purposes Committee chairman, was on November 24, 1953, shot dead near where the City Stadium stands.

Tom Mboya and Argwings Kodhek, both alumni of St Mary’s School at Yala are also legends. Kodhek was the first African lawyer in Kenya and the MP for Gem in 1963. Mboya was the trade unionist and politician, whose airlifts enabled many Kenyans to gain university education in the United States. He was a top minister in Mzee Jomo Kenyatta’s government when he was assassinated in 1969, following an apparently simmering fallout with his boss.

The book contains Luo folklore and myths recited from generation to generation. The Luo legends include Gor Mahia, after whom the famous football club was named, and Luanda Magere, the fearless warrior from Kano. The mysterious Gor was immensely

feared. It was believed that he could hyptonise and cause people to mysteriously disappear, hence Gor Kogalo, the name of the victorious  1987 African Cup Winners’ team.

Others were Odera Akang’o, the chief credited with promoting education and building of roads in Gem, and pioneer author and historian Mbuya.

Odera Akang’o was tragic hero. He was a strict disciplinarian remembered for having had a Whiteman flogged for visiting Gem without a letter of introduction from his boss in Kisumu. He would later be accused of rape and jailed in Kismayu, Somalia. He was later transferred to a prison in Nairobi, where died shortly before his release in 1918.

Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, the first Vice-President of independent Kenya in 1963, was the most prominent son of Sakwa. His son, Raila Amolo Odinga, a second liberation hero in the 1980s, is a former Prime Minister. Achieng Oneko from Uyoma, one of the Kapenguria Six tried with Jomo Kenyatta, later became a Cabinet minister.

Two Luos were District Commissioners in the colonial era. Ezekiel Otieno Josiah was the DC for Central Nyanza and Isaac Okwiri, from Gem, was the DC for Bondo in 1962.

 Alego Kogelo produced Barack Obama Senior, a Harvard University-trained economist. His son with an American woman, Barack Obama, who studied law also at Harvard, became the 44th President of the United States. The founder of the Nomiya indigenous church is another legend.

Pioneer evangelist Johanna Owalo from Asembo, broke away from the Catholic Church to form his own church in 1907. It became Nomiya Church in 1912. Prophet Owalo clashed with Luo traditionalists over  his endorsement of circumcision.

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The next book should include musicians such as George Ramogi, and Juma Toto, and footballers Peter Ouma Chege, Nicodemus Aruthi and Allan Thigo.

Other Luo legends are Gaudencia Aoko, the cofounder of Legio Maria, the largest independent church in Africa that broke away from the Catholic Church, Grace Ogot, the writer and wife of historian Prof B.A. Ogot, and former MP and Assistant Minister, and Grace Onyango, the first woman mayor of Kisumu. Born in Sakwa, Grace, was the first woman to be elected to Parliament in Kenya.

The book, Luo Clans and Legends, costs Ksh2,000 and is available at the following bookshops and stores:

1.) Bahati Book Centre, Mombasa.

2.) Prestige Bookshop, Nairobi.

3.) Bookstop, Yaya Centre, Nairobi

4.) Nuria Enterprises, Nairobi.

5.) Bingwa Bookshop, Nairobi

6.) Rafu books.com. Nairobi.

7.) Suba Books and Periodicals, Nairobi.

8.) United Kenya Club reception, Nairobi.

9.) All airport departure terminals in Kenya

11.) Mathaga Bookshop, Kikuyu Town.

12.) Patmat Bookshop, Nakuru

13.) Ereto Bookshop, Nakuru.

14.) Bethany Bookshop, Kericho.

15.) Elmore Bookshop Mega City, Kisumu

16) Fontana Book Services,  Strathmore University,  Nairobi.

Online, it is available on Barnes & Noble. www.barnesandnoble.com.

Jaywanyama22@gmail.com