With the country mourning the death of Member of Parliament Johanna Ngeno, a video has resurfaced of the late former Prime Minister Raila narrating how close the two were.
In the undated video seen by Times Digital Kenya, the late ODM leader explained that, besides seeing Ngeno as a friend, he also regarded him as his son.
He went on to explain how he paid Ngeno’s university fees back in the day. However, Raila did not reveal which school he supported Ngeno in paying the fees.
While advising Ngeno, Raila Odinga in the video urged him to be respectful to the parents of his opponents and to criticise individuals rather than their parents.
“Huyu Ngong (Ngeno) ni rafiki yangu, kijana wangu. Alisahau kuwaambia ni mimi nililipa karo yake ya chuo Kikuu, (He forgot to mention that I was the one who paid his university fees)” Raila narrated in the video.
With Raila’s revelation in the video, it is not new that he has, in the past, been credited with supporting the education of several young Kenyan politicians.
According to some of them, he assisted during their university or early life stages, before they were elected to political positions or became recognised within Kenya’s leadership.
This perhaps highlights how Raila Odinga acted as a mentor to several politicians, reportedly supporting their education, even though some later became his political opponents.
For instance, Raila Odinga and Johanna Ngeno had, on several occasions, been in opposing political camps but recently found themselves working together under the ODM–UDA alliance.
Johanna Ngeno’s educational background
The late MP started his schooling at Mogondo Primary School, where he performed well in his final exams, qualifying him to join a national school. Thanks to his brilliant performance in primary school, Johanna Ngeno attended Maseno National School, where he seemingly passed with flying colors, paving the way for higher education.
Having been exposed to community challenges early in life, Ngeno developed a strong desire to serve and advocate for his people. With this ambition, he attended Kyiv TSN University in Ukraine, where he pursued a Bachelor of Arts in International Law.
After completing his studies in Ukraine, he returned to Kenya to further his education. He pursued an LL.B (Bachelor of Laws) at Mount Kenya University and later earned a Master of Arts in International Studies from the University of Nairobi.
