Hezekiah Oyugi: Teacher who became powerful administrator

When he was alive, former Internal Affairs Hezekiah Oyugi was so powerful and so feared that very little was written about him.

His death was so controversial that nothing much could be written about him either, since journalists and media houses fearing reprisals from the Moi government.

Oyugi was born in 1942. He went to Ranen primary school and proceeded to Jinja High School in Uganda. 

He joined Kabianga Teachers Training College in Kericho and soon after, he was appointed the principal of Migori Secondary School.

He was promoted to assistant education officer in then-Homa Bay District, and became a district education officer, before becoming a district officer in 1972.

Oyugi completed a course at the Kenya Institute of Administration and was appointed district commissioner from 1973 to 1976.

As DC, he worked in various stations including Kisumu, Homa Bay, Kisii, West Pokot, Turkana and Nakuru.

Deputy PC

In 1980, he became a deputy provincial commissioner of Rift Valley, a position he held until 1983 when he was made the provincial commissioner. 

In 1986, he was appointed permanent secretary of Internal Security and Administration, a position he held until 1991 when he was suspended following the murder of Foreign Affairs minister Robert Ouko.

Oyugi and powerful Cabinet Minister Nicholas Biwott were arrested over the death of Dr Ouko, but were freed after two weeks for lack of evidence. 

According to a report by British lead investigator John Troon, Ouko’s murder was triggered by a corruption report he was compiling and in which prominent people, including Cabinet ministers, were implicated.

Ouko’s charred remains were found at Got Alila, some 10 kilometres from his rural home in Koru, Kisumu.

The murder of Ouko has remained unsolved for more than two decades and evidence that can sustain a conviction has been passed to three different governments to no avail.

Key witness

Mr Oyugi was among key witnesses in the Ouko murder inquiry who died mysteriously before they could testify.

Others persons of interest who have since died include Ouko’s brother Barrack Mbajah, a herdsman identified as Paul Shikuku, who stumbled upon the remains of Ouko, Mr Biwott and former police commissioner Philip Kilonzo.

Ouko’s widow, Christabel Ouko, his housekeeper Selina Were, his driver Otieno Yogo and his close friend and special branch officer Hannington Ochwada, have also died.