Government Spokesperson Dr Isaac Mwaura was impressed with the decision of a family in Luo Nyanza to name their son after him.
In a statement, Mwaura said a family in Kosele, Homa Bay County named their son Isaac Mwaura Mwombo Jnr for his contribution in Parliament and to society.
“In a touching tribute that transcends communal boundaries, I recently discovered that someone miles away from my hometown had named their firstborn child after me,” said Mwaura.
“This little son of Homa Bay County had been named after me because of his dad’s admiration of my works in the legislature and in community work.”
Mwaura, who is also the Chair- Albinism Society of Kenya said a boy born with albinism has been named after him before.
However, he explained that this was as a result of his activities and advocacy for People with Albinism (PWAs) as opposed to the recent one in Homa Bay.
The Visit to Mwombo Family
The Spokesperson was part of the delegation that accompanied President William Ruto to Homabay one Tuesday, February 27, and met his namesake later in the evening.
“Yesterday evening, I had the pleasure of visiting the Mwombo family to meet Isaac Mwaura Mwombo Jnr, a charming little angel who now carries my name. The warmth and joy in that moment were truly heartening,” he said.
During the visit, Mwaura engaged in a brief ceremony with the family and agreed to undertake some initiatives in honour of little Isaac.
They also discussed various community issues, including receiving petitions that underscore the concerns of the local community.
Isaac Mwaura Thanks Residents and Blesses Young Isaac
He thanked the residents of Kosele, Homa Bay County for their warm reception and honor during his visit to the region.
“It’s my hope and prayer that young Isaac grows up to be a great man, contributing positively to our beloved republic,” said Mwaura.
Mwaura explained that the experience serves as a reminder of the profound impact individuals can have on others.
Also Read: Govt Warns Kenyans Against Eating Uninspected Meat
He stated that such influence transcends political roles and fosters genuine connections within communities even far away from an individual’s home.
“This gesture of naming a child Mwaura deep in the villages of Homa Bay symbolizes hope, unity, and the potential for a tribeless nation anchored on patriotism and brotherhood,” added the Spokesperson.
The Luo have a long and rich history in welcoming new members into the community – and the world and this includes the naming system.
Luo Naming System
For a long time, the Luo community has been naming their children based on the seasons, weather, time of the time of day and hour that the child was born.
The interesting aspect of the names given both in the past and even now is that both girls and boys have similar names with only a slight difference in the first letter.
While boys’ names begin with ‘O’, girls’ names begin with ‘A’ for instance Owino is given to a boy while Awino is given to a girl.
The various seasons that would inform the name a child is given range from rainy seasons to seasons of cloudiness or periods of famine or abundance.
From these, any stranger would immediately know when a person was born.
Also Read: Babu Owino Lands Leadership Role at a University in Benin
Examples of Luo Names
For instance, Okoth and Akoth were given to those born during the rains; Oluoch and Aluoch to those born to those born during cloudy days; Oketch and Aketch to the blessings that came during famine; and names like Odero to those born when granaries were filled.
Based on the time and hours of the day, a child born in the early hours of the morning is named Omolo and Amolo while Onyango and Anyango were born in the later hours of the morning.
Children born while the sun was up in the sky were named Ochieng and Achieng while Odhiambo and Adhiambo refers to those who came into the world in the afternoon or just before evening.
Additionally, children born at night are named Otieno and Atieno while Owuor and Awuor arrived between midnight and 2:00 A.M.
However, if there were twins, the first would be Opiyo or Apiyo and the second would be Odongo or Adongo.
There are still several Luo clans that follow these birth and naming rituals to date.
