Enock Ondego (21 February 1930 – 26 February 2023) was a Kenyan songwriter, singer, author, and founder of The Mwakigwena Choir Group and most notable for his biography, ''The Life Of Mzee Ondego'', published by the Kwani trust, and his two songs: ''Wimbo huu ni wimbo wa historia'' (This is a song of history) and ''Kenya ni nchi ya ajabu'' (Kenya is a wonderful country). Mwakigwena Choir used to perform for the then president

Jomo Kenyatta Jomo Kenyatta (22 August 1978) was a Kenyan anti-colonial activist and politician who governed Kenya as its Prime Minister from 1963 to 1964 and then as its first President from 1964 to his death in 1978. He played a significant role in the ...

in the late 1970s.

Early life

Enock Ondego was born in Mazigolo, South

Maragoli The Maragoli, or Logoli (''Ava-Logooli''), are now the second-largest ethnic group of the 6 million Luhya nation in Kenya, numbering around 2.1 million, or 15% of the Luhya people according to the last Kenyan census. Their language is calle ...

Vihiga County Vihiga County is a County located in the former Western Province of Kenya with its headquarters in Mbale, the largest town in the county. According to the 2009 census,the county has a population of 554,622 and an area of 563 km2. Vihiga ...

in 1930, and completed his elementary and high school at Kaimosi.

Career

When he was 17, Ondego started teaching in a local primary school in an attempt to support his family, as he was the eldest son. However, he soon left to join the pre-independence struggle for African

political rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life of ...

. He ran for an election, but lost. After the election, he went back to teaching and was posted to a school in the

Kwale Kwale is a small town in Mombasa and the capital of Kwale County, Kenya. It is located at ; 30 km southwest of Mombasa and 15 km inland. The town had an urban population of 10,063 (2019 census). It is next to the Shimba Hills Nation ...

district, named Samburu primary school, at Maji ya Chumvi. Ondego discovered his interest in music whilst teaching at the school, and started composing songs. After Kenyan independence, he became the first Kenyan teacher to sing for the then president

Mzee Jomo Kenyatta Jomo Kenyatta (22 August 1978) was a Kenyan Anticolonial, anti-colonial activist and politician who governed Kenya as its Prime Minister of Kenya, Prime Minister from 1963 to 1964 and then as its first President of Kenya, President from 1964 t ...

. So impressed was Jomo by Ondego's music that he elected him head of the presidential music association in 1969. It was at exactly the same period that Ondego recorded the song ''Kenya ni Nchi ya Ajabu''. This song was inspired by his personal experience of the suppression of the

Mau Mau rebellion The Mau Mau rebellion (1952–1960), also known as the Mau Mau uprising, Mau Mau revolt, or Kenya Emergency, was a war in the British Kenya Colony (1920–1963) between the Kenya Land and Freedom Army (KLFA), also known as the Mau Mau, and the ...

. The song was adopted by KBC then called Voice of Kenya as an intro song to their news bulletin. According to Enock, However, this was contrived without his knowledge or concurrence and he therefore has not in any way benefited from the use of his song by KBC. Enock filed a lawsuit against KBC in 2010 seeking to be remunerated, It was decided that he be paid the sum of KSh.50 million/= but has allegedly not been reimbursed. When Mzee Jomo Kenyatta died in 1978, Enock composed yet another song, praising the late president. The song, ''Wimbo huu ni wimbo wa Historia'' is a delineation of the tribulations of Kenyatta and the other Kapenguria Six

detainees Detention is the process whereby a State (polity), state or private citizen holds a person by removing or restricting their personal freedom, freedom or liberty at that time. Detention can be due to (pending) criminal charges against the indivi ...

when they were apprehended in 1952 and detained without trial. It also tells of the Kisumu riots that met Jomo when he visited Kisumu on 29 October 1969. The song was passed down as a theme song for the iniquitous

Kenyatta Day Heroes' Day or National Heroes' Day may refer to a number of commemorations of national heroes in different countries and territories. It is often held on the birthday of a Folk hero, national hero or heroine, or the anniversary of their great d ...

celebrations up to when the holiday was renamed

Mashujaa Day Heroes' Day or National Heroes' Day may refer to a number of commemorations of national heroes in different countries and territories. It is often held on the birthday of a national hero or heroine, or the anniversary of their great deeds that ...

Death

Enock Ondego died at his home in Kisauni, Mombasa county, on 26 February 2023, at the age of 93.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ondego, Enock 1930 births 2023 deaths 20th-century Kenyan male singers 20th-century Kenyan writers Kenyan Luhya people People from Vihiga County