Former Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo

Former Gem Member of Parliament Jakoyo Midiwo.

| File | Nation Media Group

Midiwo celebrated as fearless man deserted in his darkest hour

What you need to know:

  • Midiwo was first elected Gem MP in 2002 on a National Rainbow Alliance Party ticket.
  • Away from politics, Midiwo was also an astute entrepreneur who smelt business from far.


Tributes continued to pour in for Washington Jakoyo Midiwo, a man celebrated as a fearless politician who always spoke his mind.

To many, Midiwo, who died at 54, provided political direction and his absence from the political scene could have far-reaching ramifications for ODM and the party’s leader Raila Odinga, who also happens to be the fallen politician’s cousin.

Commonly referred to as Otada (Luo word for brave/stubborn/unstoppable person) in social circles, the ODM loyalist was an ardent defender of Mr Odinga.

In the lead-up to the 2013 General Election, Midiwo sensationally claimed an assassination plot had been hatched against Mr Odinga.

On the floor of the National Assembly, where he served as Minority Leader, the man who was Gem MP for three terms between 2002 and 2017 was a debater to watch out for. 

His contributions were captivating – and sometimes controversial.

“When you spoke in Parliament, we listened. A serious debater, you gave direction and leadership in the last Parliament. We have truly lost,” tweeted Busia County Woman Representative Florence Mutua when news of Midiwo’s death filtered in.

President Uhuru Kenyatta also acknowledged Midiwo’s debating skills on the floor of Parliament.

"The Honourable Jakoyo was a straight-shooting debater on the floor of Parliament who became famous for witty anecdotes drawn from his interactions with his constituents and Kenyans across the country," the President said.

Bareknuckle statements

Midiwo’s death comes after years of frustration, with some expressing dissatisfaction with the manner in which he was treated after he lost his seat to Mr Elisha Odhiambo in 2017 amid a cloud of controversy.

Midiwo was first elected Gem MP in 2002 on a National Rainbow Alliance Party ticket and in 2007 on an ODM ticket to succeed Mr Joe Donde. 

From losing his seat and watching helplessly as his business premises was demolished, to threats of being evicted from his house in Kisumu, the past three years might have been the worst for the fallen politician.

An interview with close political friends and family depicted a man who was loved and appreciated and at the same time feared for his bareknuckle statements and raw ambition.

Dr Oburu Oginga, who is the spokesperson of the wider Odinga family, described his departed cousin as one of his sons with whom he stayed in his South B House in the 1990s, helping him raise school fees before he went for further studies in the United States.

Dr Oginga said he had lost a son, friend and leader.

“I guided Midiwo into politics and campaigned for him at a time people never believed in him until he clinched the seat,” said Dr Oginga, admitting they had political differences in 2013, when Midiwo decamped from ODM to contest on an independent ticket after shambolic party primaries.

“We had political differences but never personal problems with him. Being an old man, I never engaged him in any back-and-forth because I feared my statements could have cursed him,” Dr Oginga told the Daily Nation.

He revealed Midiwo had talked to him about reclaiming the Gem parliamentary seat in the 2022 General Election, but the East Africa Legislative Assembly member asked him to return to the party first and face his rivals in the primaries.

Political ambition

Mr Odinga’s elder brother said Midiwo always consulted him and other leaders on a number of issues, but confessed that his ambition surprised him at times.

“As a young man he was ambitious, which is good but at some point I felt it was too much. During the 11th Parliament, I felt he deserved the Minority Whip’s position, but he told me he wanted to be the Leader of the Minority. When I told him the likes of Kalonzo would be uncomfortable with that, he felt I was against his interests,” said Dr Oginga. 

His political ambition and firm belief in the truth made him run against ODM in 2017, a bold move that changed Siaya politics as well as his relationship with Mr Odinga.

In the lead-up to the 2017 elections, he claimed to have been rigged in the nominations and later found new friends in former Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo, who was contesting the Siaya governorship and Florence Aluodo, who also died on Monday after developing breathing difficulties.

Aluodo contested the Siaya Woman Representative seat on an independent ticket.

Midiwo’s and Aluodo’s deaths have hit Mr Gumbo hard.

“These were people-centred Siaya leaders, but these people now shedding crocodile tears tormented Midiwo, took his seat, demolished his business premises and humiliated him in public just because he took a different stand,” said Mr Gumbo.

He wondered why, even after reconciling with ODM, Midiwo was not given a job in government.

Astute entrepreneur

He said he and Midiwo were branded Jubilee moles when they contested as independent candidates.

“How many meetings did these people hold to stop Jakoyo? Why do they just want leaders without a spine? Every time one strong politician comes up, you become a marked man in Nyanza. This should stop because these are the things that killed my friend,” said an angry Mr Gumbo. 

At some point, Midiwo openly castigated Siaya Senator James Orengo and Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo, challenging them to state where their loyalty lay. 

He sensationally claimed a clique around Mr Odinga were out to betray him and should be kicked out of his inner circle.

His sentiments sparked debate on the race to succeed Governor Cornel Rasanga. After losing his seat in 2017, Midiwo unsuccessfully challenged the results in court. 

He later reconciled with Mr Odinga and was made the co-coordinator during the BBI signature collection in Nyanza, a mandate he executed very well, with Nyanza leading with more than 790,000 signatures.

Away from politics, Midiwo was also an astute entrepreneur who smelt business from far.

He had interest in the hospitality industry, media and communications as well as real estate.

His restaurants, hotels and nightclubs in Kisumu and Nairobi were quite popular. 

In Nairobi, Club Biggies was popular among prominent Luos while in Kisumu, he owned  Kengeles, which was renamed Buddies before the joint changed ownership.

Then there was TLC, which was demolished at night last year with revellers inside. Kenya Railways Corporation was reportedly reclaiming its grabbed land.

@rushdieo3 [email protected]