TRIBUTE TO A HERO OF THE SECOND LIBERATION: FAREWELL MZEE JULIUS MAINA KAGO

It is with profound sadness and a heavy heart that I have learned of the passing of Mzee Julius Maina Kago, who rested on Tuesday, July 7th, 2026, at King David Hospital in Ng’ong’, coinciding poetically, yet painfully, with the 36th anniversary of Saba Saba. He was 75.

Mzee Kago was not just a driver; he was an unsung general of Kenya’s democratic struggle. In November 1991, when the tyrannical KANU regime placed a draconian ban on free assembly, it was Mzee Kago who defied the state’s machinery of terror. Risking his life and livelihood, he courageously ferried the late Martin Shikuku, Masinde Muliro, Phillip Gachoka, myself, and other opposition leaders into the historic Kamukunji Grounds.

That iconic Toyota Stout Pickup, then owned by his employer Hezekiel Gachu, became an enduring symbol of defiance, resistance, and the unyielding quest for multi party democracy. Through sheer grit and hard work, Mzee Kago later transitioned from an employee to owning his own vehicle, a testament to his personal resilience.

As the sole survivor of those who rode in the back of that historic pickup into the eye of the storm, I feel the weight of his departure deeply.

To the family, friends, and comrades of Mzee Kago: please accept my most heartfelt condolences. We have lost a patriot who stood in the spotlight of danger so that Kenyans could breathe the air of freedom.

Mzee Kago wished for nothing less than a completely liberated, fair Kenya. I promise him, and I promise you, that I will continue to fight for Kenyans to the bitter end.

Rest in Power, Comrade!

Hon. James Orengo, EGH
Defacto ODM Party Leader