In a little-known village of Gagra in Uyoma of Rarieda constituency in Siaya county, some 20 years ago while in the hit of political campaigns for the parliamentary seat, a journalist turned politician Mr. Raphael Tuju planted a seed.
At the Gagra bus stop, during a stopover to address the public and seek votes, a boy in tattered clothes and a sunken face defied the odds and went over and knelt before Tuju seeking his ear for his predicament.
Touched by the boy’s desire, charm and boldness, Tuju asked one of his aides to listen to the boy and present his case to him later in the evening after the campaigns.
Speaking during the 50th anniversary of the late Walter Fanuel Odede at Chianda Primary school, Tuju for the first evoked the sweet memories of the Gagra seed that he planted during his hay political days that is currently rocking the globe on matters of Information technology and Cybersecurity.
Tuju, former Information and communication Minister told the residents that the orphan boy from Gagra is the living testimony of his legacy that fulfils his heart and a sweet memory for his contribution to the people of Uyoma, Rarieda, Kenya and the world at large.
Politics is dynamic. I remember I was with Prof. Anyang Nyongo in the cabinet. Former Minister the late John Michuki, once said politics is like a liver. On my way here to the venue, I remembered Prof Nyongo, at the corner of Gagra, I encountered a boy.
He stopped me. He wanted to speak to me. I listened to him for some minutes and then delegated my personal assistant to hear him out.
The boy explained to my aide that he was a total orphan and he was staying with his ageing grandmother. He had school fees problem. So I took over the matter and paid his school fees.
He never disappointed me. He passed his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination (KCSE) and I got him a scholarship.
He did a course in IT and Economics in Morocco. He was among the few kids I took to Morrocco on scholarship. He studied there.
Today, he is an ICT Cyber security specialist. But I just got him here at Gagra. So on my way, I remembered about him when I approached Gagra junction.
He is an IT cybersecurity specialist running his business based in London. He is not based in Kenya.
Recently, when Kenya was having problems with the E-Citizen system and the British government was asked to give somebody to come and help Kenya.
He was the one who was given the responsibility to come help Kenya. You know of him, One Nyadenge. He came and solved and resolved Kenya’s problem of the e-citizen.
Currently, he is offering a similar service as a consultant in Rwanda, Botswana and I spoke to him a month ago and he was in South Africa.
He is offering the same consultancy service in Morocco but he is just the boy I met at Gagra.
So really, it is just amazing what one child can do. I have asked him to help more children in learning about cybersecurity.
So he is helping us to establish that Centre right here in Ralingo village in Rarieda. I remembered to tell the story about the boy, who is now an international cybersecurity expert,” he said Tuju said through the sacrifice and selflessness of the freedom fighter Odede, he drew his inspiration to help the needy and appealed to various leaders to provide such opportunities. Prof Nyongo who spoke at the same function said Tuju’s contribution to the people of Rarieda was unmatched and spoke volumes.
“Raph, one of the remarkable things about you, as somebody who is a leader. You may not remember when we were celebrating my marriage with my wife one time and I saw the picture where you were giving my wife some cake at the courtyard. You were the guest of honour. That is the day, I think Raph said something very important.
We as leaders celebrate each other not because of what we get out of politics but because of what we give to the people. Because, I tell you the truth, you do good service like Raph did in Rarieda and he was not elected. You don’t understand the logic,” he said.
Siaya Women Representative Dr Christine Ombaka said most of the infrastructural development in Rarieda was initiated by Tuju and they will remain his legacy.
“Tuju initiated various projects in Rarieda including health. Tuju is one of the best performing Luo leaders that we must recognize,” she said.
