By Anderson Ojwang
Mwalimu Zachariah Okoth Obado is a man who has gone through a complete circuit – from grass, a humble beginning, to grace, the king and a palace resident, back to grass, a government visitor – the prison.
From a humble beginning in Rapogi village, Obado rewrote his story. He joined Kenyatta University, where he studied education and graduated with a Bachelor of Education degree, and was posted to Rapogi Boys High School.
At the university, Obado also specialised in martial arts and is a black belt holder in Karate.
Obado rose within the ranks to become a secondary school principal before he resigned to contest for the directorship of the Kenya Sugar Board. He won the election and became the Chairman of the Kenya Sugar Board.
The stars were aligning for Obado, and the future looked bright. He first tried his hand at a parliamentary seat but lost. The loss did not deter him as he became the first governor of Migori.
The social media post
But on September 12th, 2018, marked Obado’s anti-climax and downward spiral that threatened to consume his bright future. The stars started dimming, though still glittering.
In his social media platform post, which has survived the memory and the storms, reappeared on July 23rd, 2026, extinguishing the bright flame.
He wrote: “Let me take this opportunity to condole with the family of the late Sharon Otieno. The murder of Sharon was shocking, brutal and a sign of heartlessness in our society. I must strongly condemn this heinous act. Following this death, and that my name has been falsely mentioned by some quarters, therefore, so far, my version on this matter is with the police. I appeal to our political leaders not to politicise this issue. We must show our political maturity and allow the detectives to effectively investigate the matter. Finally, I urge the people of Migori, especially my supporters, to remain calm and united in peace for the prosperity of our county. I know I am innocent, and together we shall succeed in this. Thank you and God bless you all.”
The hammer to the grass
Yesterday, Obado’s post found relevance after a Nairobi High Court judge found him and two others guilty of the murder of Sharon, then a 26-year-old university graduate and mother of three who was 28 weeks pregnant when she was abducted and murdered.
Delivering her judgment at the Milimani Law Courts on Thursday, High Court Judge Cecilia Githua found that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt and convicted the three.
“The circumstances presented in this case taken cumulatively form a chain so complete that there is no escape from the conclusion that the accused persons acted with others not jointly before the court and committed the offence charged,” Lady Justice Githua ruled.
The judge said evidence on record irresistibly points to the fact that the accused persons, with malice aforethought, unlawfully caused the death of Sharon at the material time. “It is therefore my finding that the prosecution has proved its case against the first, the second and the third accused persons beyond a reasonable doubt. I consequently find each accused person guilty of the offence of murder. Each accused is accordingly convicted,” she ruled.
The judge held that although the prosecution’s case was founded on circumstantial evidence, it had established a complete chain linking the three accused to the crime.
“It is clear that the evidence adduced by the prosecution in this case demonstrated and left no doubt that the accused persons acted in concert jointly with others not before the court pursuant to a common design, each performing a distinct role in furtherance of a criminal enterprise that resulted in the death of the late Sharon,” Lady Justice Githua said.
The king in grace
From a classroom teacher to a principal, a director of the Kenya Sugar Board, and a governor, Obado’s life witnessed a steady career rise.
In the 2013 General Election, with the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution which created county governments, Obado defied the strong ODM wave and that of the then presidential candidate, the late Raila Odinga, to be elected the first governor.
Obado, through his party PDP, defeated ODM’s Edward Prof Oyugi Akongo after he garnered 132,687 votes against his main challenger, Oyugi, who received 115,270 votes.
Obado became a powerful governor in the area and defied the political order in the region. He opted to work with then President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto. He developed a close alliance with the duo.
In the 2017 general election, he was handed the ODM certificate and secured a second term. But once again, he broke ranks with the regional political status quo.
In 2019, Obado skipped an event by former Prime Minister Raila in the area over a fallout.
“I welcome him (Raila) to Awendo as he will bring development where our children will go to school, but I won’t be there,” Obado said.
In the 2022 presidential election, he supported Ruto’s bid and has remained a close ally of the President.
In 2027, some quarters had expressed a possible Obado candidature for the Migori Senate seat, and several aspirants were seeking his blessing for various elective posts in the country.
The fall
Obado rode in his Lexus vehicle from his upmarket multi-million shillings Karen home to Milimani High Court, hoping to be vindicated. He had stayed calm for the last eight years and was convinced the court would find him innocent.
But on Thursday, things fell apart. The Lexus vehicle returned home empty and cold. His business partner, Macalder MCA F. Okwanyo, broke down in tears in the court.
At home, emptiness spoke in every corner of the house; even the noisy cricket remained silent. An old chapter of grace closed, and a new chapter of grass opened. The circuit was complete. What goes around comes around.
