To Kenyans, Peter Castro Oloo Aringo was not just any other politician.
He was an extra ordinary leader who excelled not only in debating national issues in the August House but also pushed for the interest of the common man.
Aringo, who passed away Friday evening while receiving treatment at a Nairobi hospital served as the member of parliament for Alego – Usonga constituency at different intervals and was at one time the chairman of independent party Kenya African National Union (KANU).
According to his long time personal assistant, Mathews Obwolo, Aringo’s hand is found in most of the freedoms that Kenyans are enjoying currently, including the string of successes that KANU enjoyed during its peak.
“The repeal of the Chiefs Act (Cap.210) and the establishment of the current National Government Constituencies Development Fund can be partly attributed to him,” says Obwolo.
Obwolo says that for years when he was the legislator, Aringo would often say that Harambee could not be relied on to develop the country and there was need for a way that the government would be compelled to release resources to fund development in the rural areas.
That is how he came up with the idea and worked with the like-minded parliamentarians including Eng. Muriuki Karue to come up with the bill that gave birth to the CDF that is credited with numerous development projects across the country.
On the chiefs’ act, Obwolo says that the former Minister for Information and Broadcasting disliked the abuse of the act by the provincial administrators who would take advantage of a slight opportunity to confiscate property belonging to the poor villagers.
A master orator and skilled politician, Obwolo says that Aringo knew how to turn tables in his favour when cornered.
He remembers during the advent of multi-party politics when the ruling party candidate, Edwin Yinda had pushed him to the wall and was on the verge of winning the Alego – Usonga seat.
“Aringo all out of nowhere began slamming the government and the provincial administration who he blamed for all the woes bedevilling the residents of his constituency,” says Obwolo adding “he even vowed to lead a match to the district headquarters to dislodge the then district commissioner, Kiritu Wamae.”
He says that indeed, the maverick politician was in the fore front, leading the public to the district headquarters where hell broke loose as a section of the public confronted and disarmed administration policemen who had locked the gates to stop them from accessing the DC.
“That single action changed the public mood and Aringo triumphed over Yinda who enjoyed the backing of the then president, Daniel arap Moi” said Obwolo.
Apart from his contribution to the national arena, Obwolo says that the former KANU national chairman contributed a lot to the local development.
“He was the brain behind the establishment of schools like Barding, Hono and Obambo secondary schools and polytechnics like Kosema, Ndere and others” he says.
Aringo was also the brain behind the construction of the Siaya County Information Office, says Obwolo.
The late Aringo had some years back, told KNA, how he took advantage of president Moi’s instruction to him as the Minister for Information and Broadcasting to ensure that the ministry puts up an Information Office in Kabarnet.
“Moi was in good moods when he told me this and I took advantage and reminded him that my district, Siaya also did not have an office and I would not mind constructing one too” Aringo said when he paid a courtesy call to the county information officer, Siaya sometimes in 2007.
Peter Oloo Aringo was born in May 19, 1941 in Alego, Siaya District.
He went to local schools in his area, before joining St. Mary’s Secondary School, Yala (Siaya) in 1957. After passing his Cambridge School certificate, he was admitted to Siriba College, Maseno where he trained as a teacher between 1961 – 1962.
He was posted to St. Mary’s Yala where he taught between 1963 and 1964, then taught at Kapsabet Secondary School. (He was Acting Headmaster of the School for a stint).
Between 1967 and June 1969, he undertook a Bachelor of Arts in Education and obtained a first class Honours. He taught for four months at Ambira Secondary School, then proceeded to the University of Toronto, Canada where he undertook studies in Economics, History, Political Science, Philosophy and Education obtaining a Masters of Arts in 1971. He lectured on African Politics for a year at the same University.
In 1972, he returned to Kenya and was posted to Aquinas High school before joining Upper Hill school.
In 1973 he was appointed Vice Principal of Kenya Polytechnic, from where he resigned in 1974 to contest the Alego Usonga seat in that year’s general elections.
Aringo won the 1979 General elections and was appointed as Assistant Minister for Higher Education. Later, he was elevated to be Minister for Information and Broadcasting.
In March 1982, he was transferred to the Ministry of Environment but was relieved of his job later the same year and was replaced by then Bondo MP Dr. William Odongo Omamo.
He won the 1984 General elections and in 1985 he was appointed an Assistant Minister under the expanded Ministry of education, Science and technology. In 1986 he was elevated as a Minister for Education.
After he won the 1988 General Elections, he was reappointed Minister for Education, in 1991, he was transferred to the Ministry of Manpower Development but was relieved of his job the same year for his too obvious pro-opposition sentiments.
After the repeal of section 2A, he defected from Kanu and joined the opposition, consequently he lost his Kanu National Chairmanship.
In the 1992 general elections, Aringo lost the Alego – Usonga parliamentary seat to journalist Otieno Mak’onyango but made a comeback in 1997 only to lose it again in 2002 to Sammy Arthur Weya.
Siaya, Sunday, November 3, 2024 KNA By Philip Onyango/Francis Hwaga
