Robert Ouko's brother dies with secrets of brother's brutal murder

About 25 minutes’ drive from the Kisumu CBD to the border of Kisumu and Vihiga counties lies the quiet Nyahera village in Kisumu West Sub-County.

Amid the quietness and chilly weather, preparations are underway at the home of Mr Eston Barrack Mbajah, a brother to the late former Foreign Affairs Cabinet minister Robert Ouko whose death in in February 1990 still remains a mystery to date.

The Kominde family and Konduu clan at large have been hit hard by the passing of Mr Mbajah who died at 79 years on August 16 in Tacoma, USA where he was undergoing treatment after suffering a stroke five years ago.

Amidst the cold weather and the drizzle on Saturday evening, a group of youths could be seen digging the grave where Mr Mbajah will be laid to rest on September 10, while an elderly worker painted the gate.

Right at the entrance to his house, sitting under a tent was the late Mbajah’s brother, Mr Maurice Seda, family spokesman Bishop Wilson Omwa, Konduu clan chairman Daniel Obago and former North Kisumu MCA Caroline Owen.

The death of Mr Mbajah has left them sadder.

Elusive justice

To them, it is the final nail on the coffin of the elusive justice for their brother, Dr Ouko, who was brutally murdered 30 years ago.

According to Mr Seda, the former administrator lived a quiet life until the gruesome murder of his brother.

Mr Mbajah served in various capacities in the then provincial administration before ending up as a deputy provincial commissioner and later as a deputy secretary in the Attorney-General’s office.

The family’s hopes were on Mr Mbajah whom they thought would name his brother’s killers, but as it stands, he has taken the secrets to the grave.

“Mbajah’s death has dealt a major blow to the quest to find our brother's killers, a matter that was close to his heart. We have left everything to God. He will give us the justice we want which he already started since some of the people mentioned in the case have already paid for their crimes,” said Mr Seda.

Mr Mbajah had hoped he would succeed in getting justice for his brother with the help of Kenya’s former presidents Daniel arap Moi and Mwai Kibaki but this never happened.

Tried politics

When he returned to Kenya in 2003 after President Mwai Kibaki was elected to succeed President Moi who had retired, Mr Mbajah tried his hands in politics and vied against Joab Omino for the Kisumu West parliamentary seat but lost.

When the Nation visited the late administrator’s home, Mr Seda did not mince his words saying they were very sad because the government was unfair to the late Mr Mbajah, despite his diligent service.

“His life was good until he was tortured by the same people he served immediately after his brother’s death. He never enjoyed life to the fullest. He lived a painful life after the torture. We are not happy because the killers of Ouko have not also been brought to book,” he said.

Mr Seda revealed that he asked government officials why his brother was tortured and until Mr Mbajah’s death, he never got an answer.

Bishop Omwa described Mr Mbajah as someone they looked up to and a leader who was a very good listener and trustworthy.

Kept secrets

“He is a person who could not just talk anyhow. He kept secrets. A very honest government official and even when we tried to ask him many things about the government at that time, he would not reveal them to us,” said Bishop Omwa.

He added that the late Mbajah was very resourceful and employed many people in the community.

Mrs Owen said the death of Mr Mbaja had rubbed in the wound that was already starting to heal.

“The government failed the family and the community by not revealing the killers of Mr Ouko, but God in his own way will punish them,” she said.

The clan’s chairman said Mr Mbajah had initiated many projects in the community, including donation of more than 60 dairy goats and over 200 chickens to various youth and women groups in Nyahera.

He also donated sacks of maize, rice, sugar and dagaa to the community.

“He has supported the education of many children, paying their school fees up to the university level. We had many plans to uplift the lives of the people in Kominde village and Kondu clan but now with his death, our hopes are dashed,” said Mr Obago.

According to the family spokesman, Mr Mbajah’s body will arrive in the country by Wednesday September 9 and will be taken to the Lee Funeral Home where family and friends will be allowed to view it in the morning before being flown to Kisumu.

On Thursday, the body will be at Ogada Secondary School for public viewing by locals. A funeral service will be held at the same venue.

Mr Mbajah’s family lives in the US.