Jaramogi Oginga Odinga

Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Ajuma (c. October 1911 in Bondo, Nyanza Province, † January 20, 1994 in Nairobi or Kisumu ) was a well known person in the struggle for independence of Kenya, first vice president and later as leader of the opposition.

He was born in Bondo, Nyanza Province, Kenya, according to his autobiography. Grew up around October 1911 as Obadiah Adonijah, he took this name and became known as Oginga Odinga. He went to Maseno and Alliance High School, then studied from 1940 in Makerere University and later returned to Maseno High School as a teacher back. In 1948 he joined a party Kenya African Union ( KAU ) a.

In 1960 he founded together with Tom Mboya, the Kenya African National Union (KANU ). After independence, Kenya 1964, he was First Vice President. As Vice President, he could not agree to the growing authoritarian nature of Jomo Kenyatta's government manner. He resigned from his post in left KANU and founded in 1966, the Kenya People's Union ( KPU ).

Tensions between Odinga and Kenyatta continued, and in 1969 Odinga was arrested after both publicly insulted each other in Kisumu, and where killed at least eleven people in the subsequent riot and dozens were injured. He remained two years in prison, and was then ignored until Kenyatta's death in 1978.

Under Kenyatta's successor, Daniel arap Moi, Odinga remained enemies of Kenyatta's policy, which was continued by Moi. He tried in 1982 to found a political party, but his plans were thwarted by Attorney General Charles Njonjo who changed the Constitution, according to which Kenya became a one-party state.

After the failed coup of 1982 against the government of Moi Odinga was placed under house arrest in Kisumu.

In 1990, he tried to set up along with other opposition party, the National Democratic Party. In 1991 he founded the Forum for the Restoration of Democracy ( FORD - Kenya) and was Chairman of transition. The formation of FORD triggered a series of consequences that changed Kenya's political landscape and eventually led to the end of the 40 - year rule of KANU, eight years after Odinga's death.

Oginga Odinga's son Raila Odinga is now one of the leading political figures in Kenya and was presidential candidate in the elections in December 2007, his other son Oburu Odinga is a Member of Parliament.

Works

• Not Yet Uhuru, an autobiography