Independence struggle and civil rights activities While working at Kenya Shell Company Limited, George Philip Ochola became involved in the struggle for Kenya’s independence. He was a member of the
Nairobi People’s Convention Party (NPCP), led by
Tom Mboya. This was at the height of the
civil rights movement in United States of America and
anti-colonial movement in Africa. Following the assassination of
Patrice Lumumba, the first democratically elected leader of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mak'Anyengo led a peaceful protest along
Michigan Avenue in March 1961 which was met by counter protesters. Foreign students in the
Chicago area had divergent opinions regarding the intentions and usefulness of the program. Ochola Mak'Anyengo was quoted in an article published in the
Chicago Tribune saying "It is pointless to extend the arm of friendship to my country when a group of United States citizens, descendants of Africans, have no friendship here. Your best peace corps to African nations would be to improve the racial situation in America."
Trade Unionism and Politics Before travelling to Chicago, Ochola Mak’Anyengo was elected to head the Petroleum and Oil workers Union soon after completion of the management trainee course with Kenya Shell Company Limited. These include the Office of the Secretary-General of the Kenya African Workers Union, the Office of Vice-President of the Africa Chapter of the International Federation of Petroleum Workers, the Office of the Secretary-General of Railways and Harbours Union and the Office of the Assistant Secretary General of the All Africa Trade Union Federation. Mak'Anyengo was a founding member of the
Kenya People's Union (K.P.U.), a left leaning opposition party that was led by
Jaramogi Oginga Odinga. This was during the
Cold War, when Kenya was a stage for a proxy ideological battle between the
western and
eastern blocs. Although Kenya was a member of the
non aligned movement, Cold War ideological divisions became enmeshed with local politics.
Oginga Odinga,
Bildad Kaggia,
Pio Gama Pinto,
Achieng Oneko,
Dennis Akumu and Ochola Mak’Anyengo were among those who voiced concerns relating to corruption in government and increasing western influence in the country. They promised to pursue policies that would benefit all Kenyans but these were criticised as being radical.
Pio Gama Pinto Assassination Pio Gama Pinto was a Kenyan of Goan descent. He was a freedom fighter who was detained during the colonial period. He was also Jaramogi Odinga’s chief tactician and link to the eastern bloc. He was assassinated on 25 February 1965 in what is recognised as Kenya’s first political assassination. The report of
the truth, justice and reconciliation commission (2013) concluded that the Kenyatta government was responsible for numerous gross violations of human rights including the political assassination of Pio Gama Pinto. Ochola Mak'Anyengo was briefly arrested following accusations that he had hired men to frighten Pinto ostensibly because Pinto was his trade-union rival. One of these men ended up assassinating Pinto. These charges were dropped when one of the accused assassins denied having met Mak'Anyengo.
Detention without trial In August 1966 Ochola Mak'Anyengo was arrested together with other leaders of the K.P.U. and detained without trial for several years. Those arrested included Oginga Odinga’s private secretary Oluande Koduol, the general secretary of the East African Common Services Civil Servants Union, Peter Ooko. Mak'Anyengo was imprisoned until July 1968. Upon release, he was unanimously re-elected, by popular vote, to continue heading the Petroleum and Oil Workers Union. On 25 October 1969, a major incident occurred in
Kisumu town, the capital of
Nyanza Province.
President Jomo Kenyatta attended the inauguration of the
New Nyanza Provincial Hospital.
Tom Mboya, a popular leader amongst the resident Luo community, had been assassinated on 5 July 1969 and as a result, political tensions were high. A demonstration ensued during the inauguration which led to the deaths of at least 11 civilians in the hands of police, by official accounts. Other estimates placed the death toll at closer to 100 men, women and children, some of whom were shot up to away from the demonstrations. This incident is often referred to as the
Kisumu massacre. The
Kenya People's Union (K.P.U.) was banned following this incident. Several party members, including Mak'Anyengo, were arrested on 27 October 1969. This was his second detention without trial.
Amnesty International ran a campaign - postcards for prisoners - to publicise his imprisonment without trial. In June 1970, Mak'Anyengo announced his intention to go on hunger strike to protest his imprisonment. In August 1970, several of those detained were released but Mak'Anyengo was held in prison until March 1974. Despite the official allegation, that he acted illegally against the government at the time of his arrest, Mak'Anyengo was never formally charged or tried for any wrongdoing. No evidence was ever brought forward to support the imprisonment.
Return to Trade Unionism and Politics Following his release, he eventually returned to trade unionism and politics. Mak’Anyengo successfully ran for the office of secretary general of the Railways and Harbours Union in 1981. In 1983, he was elected as the Member of Parliament for
Ndhiwa Constituency on a
K.A.N.U. (Kenya African National Union) party ticket. During this period he was the Assistant Minister for Health, Assistant-minister for Culture and Social Services and Assistant-minister for foreign affairs. ==Death==