• Olang' in 2017 tried to vie for Kachieng MCA seat and lost.
• He was elected under the Kanu one-party system as MP before leaving the Ndhiwa seat to Ochoa Ogaye in 1983 general elections
Image: COURTESY
From a humble police officer who quickly rose through the ranks before plunging into politics, the life of former Ndhiwa MP Zablon Owigo Olang’ ended quietly -a far cry of his outstanding life.
From a powerful MP and assistant minister in the Kanu regime under the late President Daniel Moi, Olang’ faded away and in 2017 general elections tried to vie for Kachieng MCA seat and lost.
After rising through ranks in the police force, Olang’ was elected as the member of parliament of Ndhiwa Constituency which covered several swathes of now constituency in Migori and Homa Bay counties.
“He replaced Joseph Odero Jowi, a politician from Karungu clan in Nyatike who was elected MP and left to be an ambassador,” Brian Osodo, Kachieng’ ward MCA told the Star on Sunday.
He was elected under the Kanu one-party system as MP before leaving the Ndhiwa seat to Ochoa Ogaye in 1983 general elections
After severally trying to get elected in the new Nyatike constituency, the late Olang’ always failed and ended up being appointed in several ministries as assistant minister.
In the onset of devolution, Olang’ won the Kachieng’ Ward ODM nominations mending fences with Raila Odinga as they were politically in different spheres during the agitation of multi-party politics.
“In that election, he lost to Obonyo Siro, and ever since he has remained active in politics and development. Despite being an icon and hero among Karungu politics he was always a humble man always spotted in Sori town along Lake Victoria beaches,” Jackiepol Ongoro, Kanyasa MCA in the area said.
Upon the news breaking of Olang’ passing on peacefully at him home, Sori town descended into mourning with his home in Kachieng’ ward filled with mourners who escorted his body to St. Camillus Hospital Mortuary.
“We heard of him as boys and he mentored all of us in politics as he helped shaped the current boundaries in South Nyanza,” Migori governor Okoth Obado said.
“He was always an advisor and as politicians, we always sought insight and advice from him. He was a great leader who scaled the heights of politics, but still took part in local politics actively.”
Leaders led by Nyatike MP Tom Odege eulogise him for opening the way to several youths who joined the armed forces from the region and helped construct a bridge over river Migori which connected Migori and Nyatike regions and shaped division of Homa Bay and Migori county.