Thomas Joseph Odhiambo Mboya (1930 – 1969) is regarded as one of the most intelligent among Kenyan youths of his time. He earned ultimate respect and admiration for the role he played in Kenya’s struggle for independence and his contribution to Pan Africanism. Unlike most children of his time who grew up in their ancestral homes, Mboya was born and raised in Central Kenya where his father was working. Having interacted with more tribal groups, he grew up to become more of an African man.
Tom Mboya featured on the cover page of Times Magazine, in 1960. |
Tom Mboya’s political and activism life
After
he graduated from Ruskin College, Oxford, Mboya returned to Kenya
at a time when the independence movement was intensifying. He first worked as
a sanitary inspector in Nairobi city
in 1950 before he was elected as the president of the African Staff Association
(ASA). As a labour specialist, Mboya helped in molding the ASA into a labour
union, the Kenya Local Government
Workers’ Union where he later worked as the secretary-general.
In
efforts by the colonial government to silence Kenya’s independence struggle,
Jomo Kenyatta and other Kenya African Union (KAU) members
were arrested in 1953. An agreement was reached among them to have Tom Mboya
take over and lead the struggle. However, the colonial government banned KAU, and Mboya
continued to use trade unions in championing for independence.
Mboya's influence on the International arena
Tom Mboya later became the secretary-general
of the Kenya Federation of Labour (KFL) where he organized several
strikes demanding better working conditions for African workers. He also
traveled to Britain and USA giving speeches against colonialism. He used this
opportunity to make friends with international trade unionists including
American A. Philip Randolph, this made it possible to raise money to build the KFL headquarters.
In 1956, Tom Mboya was elected to the Kenyan Legislative Assembly representing Nairobi. As an elected African and the secretary for African Elected Members (AEMO), he sought support for the independence movement from the international community.
His
political career later advanced to the continent, he attended the All-African People’s Conference in Ghana, in 1958, where he was elected as the
conference chairperson. The conference was convened to discuss on the independence of all African states. It was hosted by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah who also
happened to be Mboya’s friend. Tom Mboya spoke frankly on African unity and the
goal of a United States of Africa.
In
1959, Mboya made another great development, along with the USA’s African American Students Foundation,
he organized for some Kenyans to study in American Universities under the
Africa Airlift Program. Among the beneficiaries include Nobel Peace Prize
laureate, Prof. Wangari Maathai, and Barack Obama Sr, the father of America’s 43rd president, Barack Obama. This year he also made
friends and shared a podium with Martin Luther King Jr. and Bayard Rustin at a civil rights movement rally held in Washington DC.
Tom Mboya received at Atlanta Airport by a group led by Martin Luther King Jr., 1959. |
Later
on, in 1960, the Kennedy foundation chipped in allowing the Airlift program to support
more students. Through Mboya’s partnership with J.F Kennedy, Airlift Africa
was able to benefit other African countries' students.
Through
Mboya’s long-term efforts in championing the release of political prisoners
in Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta (who would be Kenya's first president) was released in 1961. The two together with Oginga
Odinga joined to form the Kenya African National Union (KANU) party. As the secretary-general of the party, Mboya headed the delegation team to Lancaster House in
London to negotiate for Kenya’s independence. He was also one of the master
planners for the design of the Kenyan flag and the Nairobi City.
After independence in 1963, Mboya was elected as a Member of Parliament for Nairobi Central Constituency (currently Kamukunji constituency). He also doubled as the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs. He later become Minister for Economic Planning and Development where he led in drafting of the ‘Sessional Paper 10’ on Harambee and Principles of African Socialism.
Tom Mboya’s death
On
5th July 1969, at age 39, Tom Mboya was assassinated on what is today Moi
Avenue, Nairobi. He had stopped by a chemist after his tour to Addis Ababa.
We know death as being cruel but it was crueller for a man who had achieved this
great. His death was received with a sad state in the country, chaos erupted
forcing the Kenyatta government to deploy several police officers to calm the
situation.
In
one of his memorial services, his daughter Dr. Susan Mboya stated that the
family lost their loved one but the country had lost an outstanding leader. It has also been said that Kenya
would have been a greater country with more years of his leadership. Tom Mboya was very likely to succeed Jomo Kenyatta as the next president of Kenya.
Tom Mboya's statue erected in Nairobi. |
We can summarize the story of Tom Mboya as him being one of the greatest human beings that the creator gifted Kenya. His intelligence, visionary ideas, and oratory skills are what made him a great man internationally. He achieved more for his age.
May he continue to Rest In Peace!
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