In the start of 1978 property belonging to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga were auctioned in Kisumu by Macho and Kimaru Auctioneers.
They included a prime building in Kisumu town centre and seven buses belonging to Odinga’s Lolwe Road Transport Services. All were sold for Sh. 455,000.
However after the sale, the auctioneers claimed the amount raised was not enough to repay a loan owed to the local bank by Odinga’s company, and a court order was consequently sought to attach private property of all the directors.
As a result, the auctioneers entered Odinga’s house in Kisumu and confiscated household goods such as fridge, cooker and beds . They also took away a tractor, two cars and a generator.
Also lined up for auction were property belonging to Odinga’s son Dr Oburu Odinga and Odinga’s assistant BFF Oluande K’Oduol. Odinga and the two were directors of Lolwe Road Transport Services which was forced to stop operation in 1978.
In August 1978, just around the time of Kenyatta’s death, Odinga filed a law suit in which he argued that the Lolwe property had been undersold.
It was not until 1979 February that the High Court ruled in favour of him by ordering the auctioneers to stop the sale.
Dozens of buyers who had gathered at Macho and Kimaru Auctioneers were disappointed when they were told that the property would not be sold because of the order.
The fall of Lolwe was part of the state’s elaborate plan to victimise Odinga. The actors created a hostile environment making it hard for him to do business and to grow his political influence.
Cornered, with his businesses crumbling and political fortunes dwindling, Odinga tried to reach out to Kenyatta for a meeting to mend fences but nothing was forthcoming. Those around Kenyatta frustrated any efforts to unite the two leaders.
In 1980, Odinga’s close politically ally Tom Okello Odongo recalled how Odinga unable to book an appointment with Kenyatta, resorted to desperate measures to meet his old friend. He would gate crash state functions just for Kenyatta to see him. But the gate keepers always turned him away or made him to sit far away from Kenyatta.
When Kenyatta died and Mbiyu Koinange demoted by Moi , Odinga was so happy for he believed Koinange was the one frustrating his attempts to meet Kenyatta and was responsible for his woes.
Odinga was able to access the new president Moi who equally embraced him by appointing him as chairman of the cotton lint board. The High Court Order in 1979 barring auctioneers from selling his property was also because of Moi’s influence.
However when things were just getting better, Njonjo incited Moi and Odinga descended again into political oblivion.
They included a prime building in Kisumu town centre and seven buses belonging to Odinga’s Lolwe Road Transport Services. All were sold for Sh. 455,000.
However after the sale, the auctioneers claimed the amount raised was not enough to repay a loan owed to the local bank by Odinga’s company, and a court order was consequently sought to attach private property of all the directors.
As a result, the auctioneers entered Odinga’s house in Kisumu and confiscated household goods such as fridge, cooker and beds . They also took away a tractor, two cars and a generator.
Also lined up for auction were property belonging to Odinga’s son Dr Oburu Odinga and Odinga’s assistant BFF Oluande K’Oduol. Odinga and the two were directors of Lolwe Road Transport Services which was forced to stop operation in 1978.
In August 1978, just around the time of Kenyatta’s death, Odinga filed a law suit in which he argued that the Lolwe property had been undersold.
It was not until 1979 February that the High Court ruled in favour of him by ordering the auctioneers to stop the sale.
Dozens of buyers who had gathered at Macho and Kimaru Auctioneers were disappointed when they were told that the property would not be sold because of the order.
The fall of Lolwe was part of the state’s elaborate plan to victimise Odinga. The actors created a hostile environment making it hard for him to do business and to grow his political influence.
Cornered, with his businesses crumbling and political fortunes dwindling, Odinga tried to reach out to Kenyatta for a meeting to mend fences but nothing was forthcoming. Those around Kenyatta frustrated any efforts to unite the two leaders.
In 1980, Odinga’s close politically ally Tom Okello Odongo recalled how Odinga unable to book an appointment with Kenyatta, resorted to desperate measures to meet his old friend. He would gate crash state functions just for Kenyatta to see him. But the gate keepers always turned him away or made him to sit far away from Kenyatta.
When Kenyatta died and Mbiyu Koinange demoted by Moi , Odinga was so happy for he believed Koinange was the one frustrating his attempts to meet Kenyatta and was responsible for his woes.
Odinga was able to access the new president Moi who equally embraced him by appointing him as chairman of the cotton lint board. The High Court Order in 1979 barring auctioneers from selling his property was also because of Moi’s influence.
However when things were just getting better, Njonjo incited Moi and Odinga descended again into political oblivion.
