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{
    "id": 70772,
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    "content": "certain persons who by reason of proximity or relation to the late Minister were deemed to have relevant information. The Select Committee used two approaches in this regard; general invitation to the public and summoning of witnesses. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, by way of background, the late Dr. Robert John Ouko who was the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation was a self-made personality. He had a humble start in life as a school teacher rising to become a high ranking civil servant, a seasoned diplomat and a prominent politician. Dr. Ouko was a cabinet Minister for 20 years continuously since the days of the East African Community (EAC). President Moi at one time described him as the best Foreign Affairs Minister Kenya has had in a statement issued on February 16th when he announced the shocking news about the Minister’s death. President Moi in his statement to the nation on that day said that he had personally lost a loyal and dedicated friend, a brilliant leader, an articulate and courageous spokesman in his country as well as a loyal servant of the people. Dr. Ouko who died at the age 58 years had been the Minister for Foreign Affairs twice; first from 1979 to 1983 and from 1988 to the time of his death. The late Minister was born on March 31st 1932 in Nyahera Sub-Location, Central Kisumu Location in Kisumu District. After his primary and secondary education, he trained as a teacher at Siriba Teachers Training College, Maseno, joined the Haile Selassie University in Addis Ababa Ethiopia in 1958 and obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree with distinction in 1962. He later proceeded to Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda, for a post-graduate course in diplomacy and joined Government service in July 1962 as an Assistant Secretary. After intensive in-service training in diplomacy, he was promoted to the post of Senior Assistant Secretary and subsequently appointed as the first Permanent Secretary for External Affairs when the country attained Independence in December 1963. He served in that capacity until December 1964 when he was transferred to the Ministry of Works, Communication and Power and from May 1966, he was the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Works until he was appointed to his first Ministerial post in July 1969. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, having been the first Kenyan to receive extensive training in diplomacy, the late Dr. Ouko was instrumental in laying the foundation for this country’s future foreign policy in the early days of Independence. The foreign policy which was then in its formative stage, crystallized in the mid 1970s and solidified during the period when the late Dr. Robert Ouko was the Minister for Foreign Affairs. In 1981, while still the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Ouko was the Chairperson of the OAU Ministerial Committee which laid the basis for the successful OAU Summit in Nairobi at which the former President Moi was elected Chairperson of the continental body, a position he held for the unprecedented period of two consecutive terms. During that period, Dr. Ouko had a very challenging role of shuttle diplomacy at a time when the OAU was sharply divided over a number of unresolved issues. Dr. Ouko represented Kenya on many successfully missions and he served with great distinction for the entire period that he was alive."
}