In the tranquil hills of Got Alila, Paul Shikuku, a simple shepherd boy minding his goats, found himself thrust into the heart of a chilling mystery. It was a fateful February 15th in 1990 when Shikuku stumbled upon a scene that would forever alter his life’s course – the minister’s body engulfed in flames.
From the obscure village of Ekero in Mumias, Western Kenya, Shikuku emerged as a pivotal witness, a role he never sought nor imagined. Yet fate had its own designs as police descended upon his village, plucking him from obscurity for questioning in the aftermath of Dr. Ouko’s murder.
Known simply as Shikuku, his employer, Mzee Kipng’eny Soi, is as much at sea as anyone else is on the whereabouts of his former employee. During an exclusive interview with the East African Standard, Soi recounted for the first time the events surrounding the herdsboy’s mysterious disappearance after discovering Ouko’s burnt body at the foothills of Got Alila (Alila Hill) in Koru.
Soi lives slightly over a half a kilometre away from the site where Ouko’s body was found on the other side of River Nyando. When the East African Standard caught up with him, Soi admitted he was still baffled about what happened.
“I’m still confused as to what really happened. All I know is that the police took him away and then he just vanished. “I’ve waited all these years for him to return but he hasn’t, maybe he will never come back, maybe he is dead,” he said.
Shikuku was out in the field-tending cattle when he spotted smoke billowing from a thicket, upon which he went to investigate and discovered the charred remains of a man. This was days after Ouko went missing in February 1990, and the Government had subsequently launched a massive hunt for the minister.
“(Shikuku) came home and told me he had found a burning body in the fields. At first, I dismissed it as a joke but reality would soon sink in. “Although I had heard about Ouko’s disappearance over the radio, I didn’t expect he would be found dead in the field, much less by my own herdsboy,” said Soi.
And little did he know that Shikuku’s discovery would trigger a chain of events that would lead to the boy’s disappearance and his (Soi’s) protracted brush with the authorities. Soi promptly reported the matter to the area chief, who in turn informed the police.
The police picked up Shikuku, allegedly to show them the spot where Ouko’s body lay. “And that is the last time I saw him,” said Soi. Shikuku would later be seen in the area in the company of the detectives for a few days before he vanished into thin air.
The swift police action to immediately barricade the site where Ouko’s body was found fired off speculation.
No civilian was allowed within a hundred metres of the scene. In fact, very few people around there apart from Shikuku saw the body.
Shikuku’s narrative evolved from a tale of fleeing in terror upon witnessing the inferno to a more detailed account of the gruesome state in which he found the late minister’s remains – a broken leg, fingers charred by the blaze. But as his story gained traction, Shikuku found himself thrust into a vortex of intrigue and danger.
The authorities sought him relentlessly, leaving no stone unturned in their quest for answers. Cornelius Wangati, an assistant chief, recounts the clandestine visitations and inquiries, the ominous presence of law enforcement casting a shadow over their rural enclave.
In a cloak-and-dagger operation reminiscent of a spy thriller, Shikuku was whisked away by the enigmatic Special Branch to an uncertain fate. Sandwiched between armed officers, his fate hanging by a thread, Shikuku offered cryptic remarks, signaling perhaps a deeper understanding of the perilous game in which he found himself ensnared.
Yet, amidst the murky waters of conspiracy and cover-up, Shikuku’s voice was silenced, swallowed by the abyss of secrecy. The government’s denial of his apprehension only fueled the flames of speculation, leaving lingering questions as to what truths Shikuku held that warranted such clandestine treatment.
But Shikuku was not alone in his plight. Witnesses vanished into thin air, their testimonies silenced by the cold hand of fate. The nurse who dared to speak of mortuary secrets, the maid who played a dangerous game of deception – all met untimely ends, shrouded in the cloak of mystery.
Even those tasked with upholding the law found themselves ensnared in the web of intrigue. Philip Kilonzo, the Police Commissioner, met a grim fate at the hands of poison, a chilling reminder of the perilous stakes involved in unraveling the truth.
In the corridors of power, whispers of foul play echoed ominously. Witnesses dropped like flies, their demise serving as a grim testament to the deadly game being played out behind closed doors. The veil of secrecy shrouding Dr. Ouko’s untimely demise seemed impenetrable, its secrets buried deep within the annals of history.
Yet, amidst the darkness, there were glimmers of hope – voices refusing to be silenced, whispers of justice echoing across the vast expanse of the Kenyan landscape. For in the heart of every mystery lies the seed of truth, waiting to be unearthed by those brave enough to seek it. And though the road may be fraught with danger, the quest for justice knows no bounds, fueled by the unwavering resolve of those who dare to defy the darkness.