Former Postmaster General Francis Chahonyo is dead.
Mr Chahonyo passed away while undergoing treatment at Karen Hospital in Nairobi, his uncle and family spokesman Dan Chitwa said
He was admitted at the hospital two months ago.
“Mzee has been sick. He has been in and out of the hospital. He once went to India for treatment and returned,” Mr Chitwa said.
Mr Chahonyo hailed from Chavakali, Vihiga County.
lakini hawa Journalist wa nation media banaa. yaani Chahonyo being a public figure for all those years, they couldn’t find a decent picture of him ? lazima wengeweka yenye yuko kortini ?
Ama whhat kind of message are they trying to pass ?
Chahonyo was an inspiration to many souls from western Kenya, who were struggling to make a living in that God forbidden city called Nairobi. He hacked when the luhyas were predominantly viewed as Cooks and Watchmen.
looking around and seeing figures like him, jirongo, Atwoli, Ngumo and few other brought alot of hope to many of our brothers and sisters from western Kenya.
just the same way Kenyatta, Mbio and other crooks inspired okuyu nation in the 60’s and 70’s.
This man called Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi, were it not for him,the Kalenjin nation would be playing in the same league as the khoisan of Nambia. truth be told, kalenjin nation owe this Guy.
Ushenzi ingine ni kujifanya unanyenyekea msee ana kakitu vi excess.
Take this guy for instance. Uncle yake ndio family spokes-man, lakini huyo uncle anarefer to his nephew as “mzee”. Ati mzee has been ill… Kama the deceased was a herdsman with 16 children whose maintenance he could hardly cater for, huyo huyo uncle angekuwa anaongea about the boy has been ailing.
Former Postmaster Gen Francis Chahonyo, Together with Chris Obure, Dave Mwangi, Sammy Chyungu, Samuel Bundotich made Posta Kenya insolvent by engaging in Anglo Leasing type projects
don’t be conflicted and start confusing state sanctioned corruption with being helped. Huyu alikuwa mwizi. He used money for coercion. “Follow me and I’ll make you rich, and in turn I stay in power, and you as well you’ll continue eating with me in power, ad infinitum…”
But you pose a good question as pertains present day Kenya, what is corruption and what is helping?
Chahonyo like others of his generation wasn’t “helping” Luhya boys and girls he was bringing them to the city to surround himself with stooges. Yes men. Protection against ‘the others.’
You could argue that as their godfather, he saved them, he gave them jobs, something to eat, he brought them to Nairobi…But what did Chahonyo and other godfathers really do?
In the process of creating a tribal support base these old timers Chahonyo, Mudavadi snr., Moi etc they bred a bevy of corrupt young individuals who today are grown men and women terrorizing the city coffers mercilessly. Many others left the village came to live in the slums: Kawangware, Kibera. Worked as more or less lowly paid ghost workers. Sired children and today we have a slum problem. Was this really help?
Help ni unasaidia jamii huko Bungoma or Baringo sio wakuje kuwa slum dwellers in Nairobi. Empower them, whether its that cane farming, new business ideas… wajitegemee yaani sio wakuwe wezi away from home. Wajenge nyumbani and thrive! Moi was even dumping villagers in Nairobi so he can have more land for himself in the villages.
At the same time there are those who utilized the opportunities accorded by these godfathers in Nairobi wakasoma university and built lives for themselves. Some of them are even MPs and even deputy president (thief though he may be). So sijui! Building a country is not easy. Maybe we now start tackling the stealing started by these godfathers. These builders of the nation. We rectify their mistakes.
Toroitich empowered his fellow countrymen, he granted them lots of scholarship , in the 24 years he was in power, he pumped alot of resources on his people.
What they did with all those opportunities is another story.
mtu kama Ruto alisaidiwa sana na Moi and other Kalenjin and Kikuyu and even Asian “fathers”. Alisaidiwa sana sana.
Mtu kama Jirongo alisaidiwa sana na Moi na Mudavadi snr and other godfathers of the day. Alisaidiwa sana sana. Lakini walifunzwa vibaya. Trying to change that miseducation is a real challenge. The likes of Aladwa,Ruto ati wajinyime for the sake of country … ngumu sana.
Worse still their babies the younger kids they also want the good life without sweating. Iko shida. You can see the babies: Steve mbogo and his friend babu owino and the likes of sonko and simon mbugua… and many others. Na ilianza na guka yao akina Chahonyo.
kama hauna kakitu hakuna mtu ataskiza upuss unasema… hiyo ndio sheria. kama uko 25 na uko na mali wewe ni muzeee mweshimiwa. ukiongea wanasema igweeee.
hii wizi by the way haina point. Ni ujinga tu. Hii yote ya nys na akona ruto ni upuss. When you do the math by being corrupt you lose so much more. And these old timers who are passing on are living proof of that.
Most probably huyu chahonyo ukichunguza other than the odd shamba here and there, he died a broke man. After kuporomosha posta hizo miaka mingi. Kuiba tugari twa posta na kuuza etc. Meanwhile had he done his job the right way, posta could probably have diversified in the 90s and become the number one data company in Kenya. Or even a Kenyan or African DHL with their own planes! Or a national sovereign fund like the govt. corporations in Singapore. Today Chahonyo would be an honorary director earning more than he stole… who knows hata labda angekuwa rais. But alitupa hio yote juu ya kuonja kidogo.
Si unajua wakati wa Moi these senior guys had to do what they were told hata ukitaka kuleta changes, zinakuwa resisted sana na kuna kajunior hapo whose main job is to undermine you. Remember the dream team ya Leakey, Oduor-Otieno and Naikuni that was meant to clean the public service in the late 90’s, they realized the monster they were supposed to slay was more powerful than they imagined.