‘I nearly gave up hope in life’: Blind cyclist Ogada on living with disability, pursuit of Paralympics glory
Para-cyclist Kennedy Ogada during the interview on August 18, 2024.
What you need to know:
- Kennedy Ogada suffered vision loss and blindness occasioned by damage to the optic nerves in his eyes.
- Symptoms of Glaucoma can start manifesting themselves slowly and may be difficult to notice at first.
Sixteen years ago, para-cyclist Kennedy Ogada sat at home helplessly as he gradually lost his eyesight.
The year was 2008, and his ophthalmologist, Dr Fredrick Kagondu, who has specialised training and experience in diagnosing and treating eye and vision conditions, had disclosed to him that he had suffered advanced and irreversible glaucoma.
He had suffered vision loss and blindness occasioned by damage to the optic nerves in his eyes.
At the time, Ogada who was a hawker had just purchased a new motorbike for transporting his wares. It was welcome relief for the father of three, who previously used to ferry different types of snacks on a bicycle from his residence in Thika to Juja and Ruiru for sale, and cycle back.
Ogada was born on October, 1971 in Thika, Kiambu County to Elisha Ogada and Rubai Mmboga. He finished his primary school education in 1985 at Mugumoini Primary School in Thika, and joined Kaimosi Boys High School in Vihiga County where he studied until 1991.
He had just replaced his ‘black mamba’ bicycle with a motorbike, a more efficient mode of transport, and was now looking forward to better returns. Little did he know that higher hurdles lay ahead.
Ogada, now 52, started getting involved in frequent road accidents on his motorbike. A report from his ophthalmologist revealed his worst nightmare.
“Dr Kagondu told me that the road accidents could have been as a result of my failing eyesight. After a few medical tests, he told me that I was suffering from glaucoma, that was at an advanced stage, hence irreversible,” said Ogada.
He battled glaucoma four years, then became totally blind.
“It hit me so hard and I almost gave up in life. I started depending on people to do basic things, and at times I thought I was bothering them. My business collapsed at a time my family needed me most,” Ogada recounts.
Symptoms of Glaucoma can start manifesting themselves slowly and may be difficult to notice at first. It can only be diagnosed through a comprehensive dilated eye exam. It has no known cure but early treatment can stop the damage and protect one’s vision.
Ogada, who was already competing in local races, stopped and his small scale business collapsed, forcing him to take on bicycle repair business to survive. It took him time to accept his condition but support from his wife, Milly, and three daughters, Faith, 30, Sheila, 26 and Megan, 20 rescued him from deep thoughts.
“I had to sell some of the family’s cows upcountry to survive, and I relied on bursaries to educate my daughters,” Ogada said.
He effortlessly took to cycling because he had occasionally competed in cycling events on his ‘black mamba’ bicycle in Nairobi and Thika.
Para-cyclist Kennedy Ogada during the interview on August 18, 2024.
“I was 26 at the time, with a good vision and it took me a few months before I could afford a modern bike. I was obsessed with cycling,” he says.
He is among the athletes who cycled from Nairobi to Mombasa while competing in Ronald Ngala Memorial Cycling Tour in 2005.
Kenya Cycling Federation selected him and other local cyclists to represent Kenya in the 2005 Association of National Olympic Committee of Africa (ANOCA) Championship in Nairobi. However, he had not competed outside the country before he lost his eyesight.
When his eyesight started failing him, he attended a cycling championship in Thika, where he was inspired by a visually-impaired cyclist of Asian origin competing in a tandem bicycle.
“I drew inspiration from that and I thought it wise to purchase one tandem bike, and to look for a pilot,” he says.
Cycling Pilot refers to the practice of using a lead cyclist in a group ride to act as a guide for the other cyclists. The Pilot sets a pace for the rest of the group to follow, navigates the route, and provides encouragement and support to the other riders.
Ogada soon took up Peter Mwangi as his pilot for the Kenyan trials ahead of the 2021 World Para-Road Cycling Championships which were held in Cascais, Portugal.
“I was picked after the trials, and I couldn’t believe it. I thought I was dreaming. I had never flown out as an able-bodied cyclist but here I was, set for my maiden flight,” Ogada says.
He was selected alongside Stanley Mutuma, the current Secretary General of Kenya National Paralympic of Kenya, to compete in B1 Class. The othes were Dedan Ireri and Ibrahim Wafula (C2 Class).
In Portugal, Ogada finished 18th in the B1 Time Trial, and 17th in the Road Race category.
“I told myself that God was preparing me for better things after turning blind,” said Ogada, who was again selected for the 2022 Commonwealth Games after winning the local trials.
Ogada, piloted by Mwangi, finished seventh in one minute and 20.172 seconds in an event won by Scotland’s Neil Fachie (piloted by Lewis Stewart) in a championship record time of 59.938 seconds.
Kenyan para-cyclist Kennedy Ogada who will compete at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games.
His performance was enough to earn him an automatic place in the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, making him the first Kenyan to compete at the Summer Games in cycling.
Having qualified for the track competition, Ogada desired to also make the team for the road race. The journey took him to the 2024 Confederation of Africa Cycling (CAC) Para-cycling of African Championships held from June 26 to 27 in Cairo.
Piloted by Benson Mwaniki on that occasion, Ogada won gold in Time Trials tandem in 39:16 but settled for silver in the road race in 57:55, losing to Ibrahim Ettesh (G-Mohamed Emara) of Egypt.
Again, his performance saw him qualify to compete in road race at the 2024 Paralympic Games.
“God works in mysterious ways. It's a great honour to fly the country's flag," said Ogada, who wants the Ministry of Sports to help the disabled athletes acquire good equipment for competitions.
Ogada reckons that a medal bracket performance in Paris will open doors for more blind people to take up the sport.
Mwaniki describes Ogada as an amazing man, who overcame the challenges that come with losing eyesight at his most productive age, to represent Kenya.
“I knew Ogada before he lost his eyesight. He thought the world had collapsed on him when he lost his eyesight but he managed to pull through,” Mwaniki says, adding that Ogada has proven that disability is not inability.
Paris will host the quadrennal Paralympic Games from August 28 to September 8, and Ogada will compete in track and road categories of B1 cyclyng contest. B1 is a cycling category for the visually-impaired, and cyclists use a tandem bike. Ogada’s pilot will be Mwaniki.
Ogada holds Level One Coaching Certificate from the Union of International Cycling.
His parents are still alive and reside at the family’s rural home in Kapsasur, Kapsabet, Nandi County.
His family has been supportive since he lost his eyesight, and his wife helps him manage his business and bicycle repair shop in Thika.
