The family of the former Vice President Moody Awori played integral role in shaping Kenya's history, despite several blunders in the process.

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In 1946, Wycliffe Awori, a young journalist with reputation having acquired education in Uganda, was picked by Kenya African Union leaders to take a message to Jomo Kenyatta in London.

At that time, the old man was struggling financially in London, even with urge to have him return home to lead fight for independence.

With polished English, a section of politicians endorsed Mr Awori for the trip via Cairo. Veteran hero James Beautah had however opposed the choice of Awori.

In Cairo, Awori lost his luggage and money, forcing KAU leaders to go to the drawing board for another contribution. They managed few pounds for the journey.

When reports of Awori’s loss filtered back home, Beauttah who had raised the funds for the trip felt vindicated because he had earlier described him as an “eager but arrogant man who lacked self discipline’.

By the time he reached in London, Awori had again lost his items and money, literally forcing him and Kenyatta to stay there for sometime.

Jomo Kenyatta told KAU leaders that he was eager to return but he was broke at that time. The leaders were forced to make some other contributions for return journey.

For Wycliffe, his father Canon Awori and family members got concerned. They even collected eggs and airlifted them to London to save him from starving.

“He used his own funds to acquire a one-way ticket as James Gichuru, who had been tasked with raising the necessary travel funds had not done so. By the the time Kenyatta returned, Awori had not received any money,” the family biography says. 

The Awori family enjoys political support in Kenya and Uganda. Moody Awori was appointed Vice President in 2003 after the death of Michael Wamalwa. His brother Aggrey Awori is an MP in Uganda.

Kenyan ambassador to France and former Environment minister Judy Wakhungu is a daughter to Moody Awori. President Uhuru Kenyatta, a son of Jomo, is a close family friend to the Awori family.