NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 9 – Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Leader Raila Odinga has eulogized former legislator Grace Onyango as a pillar of women’s leadership.
Odinga said she was also a great role model who was a trailblazer in Kenya’s political leadership.
He noted that Nyabugu, as she was fondly referred to, illuminated the independent Kenya political landscape with a stride of many first making her an icon.
“Nyabugu illuminated independent Kenya political landscape with a stride of ‘firsts’, it was common to expect ‘the first African woman something’ every time her name was mentioned. She was a leader and trailblazer to hilt,” Odinga said in a condolence note on Thursday, a day after Onyango’s demise.
“Mama grace was a wife, politician, mother, grandmother and great grandmother, all the while not letting her gender stand in the way of competing with men and winning.”
Odinga added that Onyango was a fierce articulator of national issues and astute defender of her people whom she fiercely defended.
He added that Onyango will be remembered for immortality.
Onyango passed away while on medication at the Jaramogi Teaching and Referral Hospital.
Her grandson Edward Onyango confirmed she had developed age-related complications
She served as Kisumu Mayor in the post-independence era from 1965 to 1969 before proceeding to Parliament
Onyango was also the first woman to sit on the speaker’s chair as temporary deputy speaker and served as Deputy Speaker from 1979 to 1984.
