Jaramogi Oginga Odinga's political dominance was linked to his working relationship with bright Kenyans at independence, who crafted his political messages.
According to Central Intelligence Agency secret files, one man who remained outstanding in Jaramogi's political success was Pio Gama Pinto, the youthful politician with Indian roots.
Having worked as a journalist and researcher, Pinto combined his socialist connections to give headache to political elites especially those who were pro-Jomo Kenyatta.
Pinto served as Parklands MP, now Westlands before his untimely assassination in 1965 in Nairobi. Apparently, he died three months after assassination of Malcolm X, his mentor.
After his death, CIA observed that Jaramogi Oginga Odinga struggled by making a host of blunders in his political moves. He finally resigned in 1966.
Then US ambassador to Kenya, William Attwood — obvious with benefit of CIA secret file on Pinto — would write of him: “Pinto was Odinga chief brain-trust. On his assassination, Odinga solely missed his guidance and counsel as demonstrated in his committing blunder after blunder in the months that followed Pinto’s death.”
Although Jaramogi Oginga Odinga would spend most of his time under home detention, he would bounce back in 1992 after introduction of pluralism.
His son Raila Odinga, the current opposition leader, has often talked about Pio Gama Pinto's brutal death in most of his revolutionary speeches.
"Pio Gama Pinto was assassinated because he wanted a truly liberated Kenya. So, too was JM Kariuki. They died fighting for Kenya," he said sometimes back.