Though he was one of founding father Jomo Kenyatta’s closest political friends and admirer, ending up as his deputy when Kenyatta was declared the President of the independent Kenya in 1964, the two would later part ways, ending up as sworn rivals.
After his resignation and move to the opposition in 1966, Oginga started feeling the political pinch and among others, his security detail was withdrawn after forming the Kenya People’s Union (KPU).
His security was led by Solomon Mulang’a, now in his late 70’s, who would later be reassigned to general duties after Jaramogi left Oginga’s side and replaced by Joseph Murumbi.
When the Oginga-Kenyatta disagreement started showing in mid 1965, Mulanga was summoned by the nation’s first black Police Commissioner Bernard Hinga, who, as he would later learn, had a big and hard responsibility for him.
“I had been recalled to general duties from Jaramogi Odinga’s escort detail after he formed the opposition party, Kenya Peoples Union (KPU), when one day I was told that Mr Hinga wanted to see me at his office in Gill House. I froze literally,” Mulanga was quoted by the Standard.
He was later instructed to implicate Jaramogi in a coup plot and was offered a Sh1, 500 reward for the job.
“He told me he had heard that Mr Odinga and I enjoyed a deep relationship. After a pause, he looked me straight in the eye and said he wanted me to tell him what Mr Odinga and Ugandan President Dr Milton Obote talked about when the two leaders met at the Rock Hotel in Jinja.” He is further quoted.
Upon refusal, he was not only unceremoniously fired, but was also ordered back to his Kitui homeland and slapped with a ban that would see him stay indoors for the next 5 years.
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