Book serialisation

Ramogi Achieng' Oneko (1920–2007) was a Kenyan nationalist whose defiance outlived his fame. One of the Kapenguria Six tried alongside Jomo Kenyatta in 1952, he spent nine years in colonial detention, convicted largely on the weight of a Kikuyu-language meeting he never understood.

He was no mere follower. As editor of Ramogi, he mobilised Luo resistance; as a founder of Luo Thrift with Oginga Odinga, he built Kisumu's first African-owned building. Kenya's first Information Minister after independence, he resigned in 1966 on principle and was detained by Kenyatta from 1969 to 1975, the only Kapenguria Six member to suffer post-independence imprisonment.

He returned to Parliament in 1992, unbroken. At his death in 2007, he was the last surviving member of the Kapenguria Six, a man who paid freedom's price twice. In this serialisation, The Standard publishes excerpts from his biography, ‘The Price of Freedom’

Foreword by Raila Odinga

In this intense and deeply humane book, Ramogi Achieng' Oneko, a member of the Kapenguria Six and one of the founders of independent Kenya, tells an illuminating story of the struggle for independence from British colonial rule and the activities that shaped the country's future. Oneko draws almost entirely from personal experiences to paint a portrait of a nation whose birth derived from the resolve of ordinary men, women, and mere boys willing to give their all to secure the dignity of their people.

By and large, this book is about Kenya's unfinished journey. It is the story of resilience, bravery and solidarity running side by side with treachery, betrayal, and missed opportunities; ignored or misunderstood signals during the struggle for independence and after, and how these continue to shape the nation's trajectory.

Here is Achieng' Oneko, out of detention and in Nakuru, working with young Kikuyus at construction sites. They confront him: "When will Jomo think of us; we who are landless?" Unknown to the young men, Oneko and Jomo were holding intense sessions on this matter, leading to tension between the two liberation heroes who had also been personal friends. Today, the land question persists, long after both exited the stage. It remains one of the country's most sensitive and unanswered questions. Oneko calls it a tragedy.

The reality of betrayal and chicanery features repeatedly in Oneko's accounts. It comes out as a running trait, ever present in Kenya's political history. It hung over the Kapenguria Six and almost destroyed them while they were still in detention. It hung over KAU and its activities. It followed Kenya into independence and after, and nearly derailed the formation of the first independent government.

It is noteworthy that these accounts are told through the eyes and memory of a man who was present at critical discussions towards the birth of independent Kenya.

All said,  The Price of Freedom is another landmark in the literature of Kenya's history. It should inspire us to retrace our steps and complete the journey. I commend this book to every Kenyan citizen.

Raila Amolo Odinga

Nairobi, 10 August 2025

Chapter Thirteen

By the end of 1945, I had freed myself from social welfare organisations. I needed time for the newspaper I had founded, ‘Ramogi ’, and for civic activities. I attended regular KAU meetings in the evenings to deliberate and strategise on our country’s future. Our immediate objective was to popularise the party through the enrolment of members. We received some assistance and collaboration from the East African Indian Congress and individuals who called in at the office to encourage the Union members. I was always at the meetings in order to learn how to run a political party and to meet leaders from other parts of the country. KAU was at this time under the chairmanship of James Gichuru, who was in touch with leaders from every part of the country. In 1946, we held our first annual general meeting in Nairobi. Among those who attended the meeting were Tom Mbotela, John Koinange, Jimmy Jeremiah, R Achieng’ Oneko, Samuel O Josiah, Ambrose Ofafa, Eliud Mathu, Jesse Kariuki, Stephen Wanyee, James Mbotela, James Beauttah, Edward K Binns, Peter Mbiyu Koinange, Harry Thuku, James Burke, Jomo Kenyatta, Muiruri Ng’ang’a, Kati Joseph, John Muchura, Hassen from Juja, Aggrey Minya, Peter Gatabaki, and Albert E Awino. Some prominent people like Bildad Kaggia, Fred Kubai, and Eliud Mutonyi were not present when the group photograph was taken.

Soon after the 1946 meeting, I decided to join my family in the village. The objective was to acquaint my parents with recent developments in my life. My father was a totally different man when I informed him that I had left government service to run a newspaper. He became very cold towards me. But I managed to win him over after presenting my beautiful wife and two sons, Ongong’a, Today the holder of a philosopher’s degree in economics, and Olola, Today a professor of medicine. At that time, my mother did not really care what kind of life I was going to lead. She would take care of the children and their mother.

My father only reluctantly accepted my plans. He made two observations, which I deliberately gave the following literal translation, “I do not believe in money in the pocket. Luo wealth and property is stored in cattle. Why have you not bought a cow to provide milk for the children?”

He went on, “You decided to resign from government service to run a newspaper which the Luo read. What will you and your family eat when your readers cease to buy the paper?”

I was now on the defensive. I deflected the focus to my family by saying that my wife and the two healthy children were my presents to him and the community. I saw him scratch his head as he mumbled something to the effect that this would not do. Nevertheless, he said, a son does not die within his father’s home, “Wuowi tho mana oko.”

 British colonialism had to go. I was satisfied that in KAU we had the right vehicle to pursue this mission. The means would involve not only my tribe, the Luo, but all the African peoples of Kenya, along with friends and supporters of human rights everywhere.

It was at about this time that I was identified for a nominated seat on the Municipal Council of Nairobi. Only Europeans and Asians were eligible for election to the council. Two seats were reserved for Africans. The African Advisory Council submitted my name and that of Muchoki Gikonyo to the Governor, and both names were accepted.

The one person who deserves to take up significant space in this book is Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, who was my personal friend. He died in 1994, at the age of 81, having been born in 1913 at Kang’o, Sakwa Location in Bondo District. My first close encounter with him was in 1940 at the Maseno Missionary Hospital. He had been hospitalised with tuberculosis. In those days, it was difficult to diagnose the disease and it was our general fear that he might die. The boys from the lakeshore region of Bondo visited the mathematics teacher. We prayed for him and wished him a speedy recovery. It was Dr. Arthur Okwemba, the first Kenyan African to qualify as a doctor from Makerere University, who discovered the nature of his illness.

Odinga joined Maseno School as a teacher in the first term of 1940, my final year in the school. He was posted to Parker House as housemaster. I was the house prefect. He was also the school’s sports master. I was one of the top marathon runners, so we often met in the field. I left school at the end of 1940.

Our next meeting was in 1946, when Odinga visited Nairobi. He was led to my house in Starehe on a Sunday morning by one of his relatives who worked as a mechanic for the Kenya-Uganda Railways. He had come to talk to me about a project he had floated in the name of Bondo Thrift Association. He showed me the prospectus, but I turned down his request to work with him. I was opposed to the name he proposed and suggested that the partnership should be broad based to go beyond Bondo. We ended up with a compromise on a few things to be included in the objectives of the company, and I became a founder member, as well as one of the first seven directors. At the founders’ meeting, ‘Luo Thrift and Trading Corporation Ltd’ was adopted as the name, because of the broader outlook. The company’s registered capital was KSh 500,000.

Odinga wanted to use ‘Ramogi’ newspaper to popularise the corporation and to introduce himself to the public at large. For my part, I was going to benefit by reducing the weight I had had to bear in printing costs and other overheads. Luo Thrift later bought an old German printing press from Moshi in Tanzania. Neither of us had any experience with printing machines, however, and we had to rely on some Asian friends. We failed to make an impression with our printing assignments and only printed Mwalimu for Francis Khamisi and Mumenyereri for Henry Muoria, and even this only for a brief period.

To be continued tomorrow