Sakaja reminds William Ruto how Oginga Odinga, Tom Mboya brought peace to Nairobi

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja on Monday used his Labour Day speech to impart a long-forgotten history lesson regarding the City's major estates along Jogoo Road.

Mentioning respected political leaders from Kenya's 1950s, Governor Sakaja addressed President William Ruto as he narrated events that led to the deaths of Councillor Tom Mbotela and Ambrose Ofafa after whom Mbotela Estate and Ofafa Jericho are named.

"The colonialists murdered a Councillor named Mbotela in what is now Burma Market on November 24, 1952 to spark tribal tensions and it didn't work. The next year, they murdered Ofafa and two hours later they burned down Burma Market but the people still remained calm," the Governor narrated.

Sakaja went on to expound that these prominent deaths of Luo leaders inspired a young Tom Mboya and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga's father Oginga Odinga to counter the colonialists' efforts to sow discord.

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja at City Hall Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja at City Hall Pulse Live Kenya

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"In the 50s, when the colonialists segregated Kenyans along tribal lines - when the Kikuyus and people from Mt Kenya were moved from Kaloleni and Makongeni into Bahati - Tom Mboya, a young man in his 20s and a Kanjo worker decided to agitate

"[The colonialists] were trying to create a tribal rift by saying that these Luo Councillors were murdered by Mau Mau," Sakaja stated.

The Governor added, "The two men went round Kaloleni Social Hall and Muthurwa Social Hall in Makongeni telling people to calm down and not to protest or cause chaos. We need them to go around Nairobi again today," in a veiled reference to Azimio mass action protests slated for Tuesday, May 2, 2023.

Historical significance of ACK St Stephens Church on Jogoo Road

The Nairobi Governor also narrated the history of ACK St Stephens Cathedral along Jogoo Road, noting that colonialists moved the church from where Parliament Buildings currently stand.

"Traditionally, every last Sunday of April, there's a service that is held at the St Stephens ACK Church to pray for Kenyan workers.

"That church had started in what is today the National Assembly. And because the colonialists wanted to build Parliament, the church was moved to Eastlands and became the only cathedral which Africans could use because there was segregation and that was in 1902. That church, together with the labour movement was integral in the journey for Kenya's independence," Sakaja narrated.

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Governor Sakaja was among the few politicians who had a chance to address President Ruto as he presided over his first Labour Day in office.