Former Alego Usonga Member of Parliament and veteran journalist Otieno Mak’Onyango has died while undergoing treatment at a Nairobi hospital.
The death of the former lawmaker was announced on Sunday, October 25, by Alego Usonga MP Sam Atandi, who mourned him as a distinguished leader who once represented the constituency in Parliament.
“We have this evening lost the Hon. Otieno Makonyango, Former MP, Alego Usonga Constituency, while undergoing treatment at a Nairobi Hospital. May his soul rest in peace,” Atandi wrote on his official X account.
Mak’Onyango was elected MP for Alego Usonga in the 1992 General Election on a Ford-Kenya ticket, becoming the first legislator to represent the constituency following the reintroduction of multiparty politics in Kenya.
He unseated long-serving politician Peter Oloo-Aringo, ending his nearly two-decade grip on the seat.
Before entering politics, Mak’Onyango built a career in journalism, working at the East African Standard, now known as The Standard. His career took a dramatic turn following the failed 1982 coup attempt against President Daniel arap Moi’s government.
From Detention to Parliament
Mak’Onyango was among those arrested in the aftermath of the August 1982 coup attempt. While working as a journalist, he was accused of involvement in the failed military uprising and detained for about four years without trial.
During subsequent court proceedings, he maintained that he had been tortured while in custody and that the detention abruptly cut short his journalism career.
Also Read: Kalonzo Reveals Stand on Joining Ruto’s Government
Years later, he sought legal redress over his detention by suing the government for unlawful arrest, detention and prosecution.
In 2012, the High Court awarded him Ksh20 million in damages after finding that the government had violated his constitutional rights.
The ruling was delivered by Justice Kalpana Rawal.
Despite the victory, Mak’Onyango later spoke publicly about difficulties accessing the compensation and the financial challenges he faced in retirement.
He was among former MPs who pushed for improved pensions for retired legislators, arguing that many struggled after leaving public office.
Recently, the former legislator lived in Kibiko, Kajiado County, where he largely stayed out of active politics while battling age-related health challenges.
Otieno Mak’Onyango’s Privacy Battle
However, retirement brought fresh challenges as he battled ill health and became embroiled in a dispute over a neighbouring construction project.
The former legislator accused a neighbour of building a multi-storey apartment block overlooking his property, saying the development breached his family’s privacy and violated building regulations.
He lodged a complaint with the National Construction Authority (NCA), which initially suspended the project after inspecting the site.
But Otieno Mak’Onyango later expressed frustration after the construction resumed, claiming authorities had failed to explain why the suspension had been lifted.
He said repeated attempts to obtain answers from the regulator yielded little success, forcing him to publicly appeal for government intervention.
Also Read: Relief for Hospitals as SHA Restarts NHIF Claims Verification
Speaking at the time, the former MP revealed that his health had deteriorated and that the prolonged dispute had denied him the peace he had hoped to enjoy in retirement after decades in journalism, politics and public service.
Like many former legislators elected before Parliament introduced improved retirement benefits, Mak’Onyango often spoke about the financial hardships ex-MPs face after leaving office.
In 2019, he publicly lamented that he was surviving on a monthly pension of about Ksh8,000, arguing that many former lawmakers struggled to make ends meet once they left public office.
He said the demands of political life often left legislators financially worse off than when they entered Parliament.
Together with other retired MPs, he pushed for reforms to the Parliamentary Pensions Act to improve welfare for former lawmakers and provide greater financial security in retirement.
Follow our WhatsApp Channel and X Account for real-time news updates.
