More millions please! Bottomless pit that is Ida Odinga's Ogande Girls Library

Six years ago, Ida Odinga launched a project to build a library in Ogande Girls' High School. Hundreds of millions of shillings was raised with President William Ruto giving Sh55m last week.

Why is the project incomplete?

Dr Ida Odinga was looking to build an ultra-modern library for her alma mater. On August 31, 2020, the first harambee in aid of the project, The Dr Ida Odinga Library, Research, Innovation and Resource Centre, took place. A whopping Sh176 million was raised. It was the last time the amount raised was publicly quoted.

At the event, Ida said that upon completion, the library will secure her legacy as an alumni and a teacher who dedicated her life to empowering the girl child.

"I wish to announce that we realised a total of Sh176,945,116 during the Ogande Girls Library & Resource Centre fundraiser. I therefore wish to let everyone who was part of this to know that I deeply appreciate the support and I am deeply grateful from the bottom of my heart, (@IdaOdinga) August 31, 2020" she tweeted on X.

Politicians who attended the harambee included Raila Odinga, the then Speaker of the Senate, Kenneth Lusaka, and Westlands MP Timothy Wanyonyi, among others.

It was estimated that the construction would take 18 months. It has now been six years since the first fundraiser. Numerous other fundraisers and pledges from the corporate and business community have been made.

Sitting capacity

The latest fundraiser took place last weekend, the venue was Raila Odinga Stadium in Homa Bay town, 10 kilometres away from the school. Surprisingly, despite being a harambee, the total amount contributed wasn't announced.

The Dr Ida Odinga Library, Research, Innovation and Resource Centre was an ambitious project. It was designed to seat 500 students and to have an amphitheatre with a seating capacity of 1000 people. The library would also house an ICT hub and recording studio.

"This is not only a library, but an integrated centre for invention purposes. Anybody who wants to learn can come to this centre regardless of whether you are a member of this school or not," said Ida during the ground-breaking ceremony.

Fred Matiang'i, who was the then Education CS, on the other hand, promised to rally his Cabinet colleagues to support the project. Dr Matiang'i added that he would liaise with the then ICT Cabinet secretary Joe Mucheru to establish a computer library in the school.

Kisumu governor Anyang Nyong'o, who was serving his first term, lauded the project, saying, "Research and Innovation are the key in the current academics. The centre will enable us to have productive students."

With every leader at the groundbreaking pledging something, the then Homa Bay governor, Cyprian Awiti, promised to install street lights in the school.

Nestled merely 9.8km from Homa Bay town, Ogande Girls' High School sits on 834 acres and is only 3.4km away from Kabunde airstrip. By road, the school can be accessed through the Homa Bay-Rongo tarmac road.

Ogande Girls' High School was established in 1964 as an initiative between the government of Kenya, under the African District Council and the Church Missionary Society (CMS). The founding head teacher was Richard Ondeng', who was an education officer in South Nyanza District. The CMS brought the first missionary headteacher, Ms GM Churchill, in the same year, 1964. Miss Churchill was the headteacher from 1964 to 1971, then Miss Jean Buckley to 1979, before the headship was taken over by the African leadership under Rachel Odongo in 1979.

The current head is Chief Principal Dr Jenipher Andedo Otolo. Ogande Girls' High School is sponsored by the Anglican Church of Kenya, Diocese of Southern Nyanza.

Three months after the first fundraiser, on December 20, 2020, was the groundbreaking ceremony. Ida Odinga, dressed in her usual colourful, flowing African print dress, stood on the dais and spoke passionately about her love for education. On the VIP podium, in attendance and nodding their heads sagely as Ida spoke was Matiangi. Next to him was the Homa Bay governor, the ebullient Cyprian Awiti.

In the scorching sun, stood the students and villagers who listened keenly as 'Min Piny' (Mother of the Country), as Mama Ida is fondly referred to, spoke fervently about her student days in Ogande Girls, where she was the library prefect.

Mama Ida, accompanied by the Education CS, the county governor, scores of government luminaries and politicians, then broke ground for what was premised to be the state-of-the-art school infrastructure, the Dr Ida Odinga Library, Research, Innovation and Resource Centre.

A year later, on Mon, September 6, 2021, State luminaries were again hosted at Ogande Girls by Mama Ida to help make the school a centre of academic excellence. Present were Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma and his Rangwe counterpart Lilian Gogo, Principal Secretaries Julius Jwan (Early learning and basic education), Jerome Ochieng' (ICT) and Francis Owino (Fisheries).

Ochieng' gave the school 30 computers to enhance knowledge on ICT and innovation in the school. Ida donated 300 new lockers and chairs for students. Owino announced that the government is going to start aquaponic farming in the school in the next three months. A spot check at the school reveals that it didn't happen.

"The desks are part of the programme for making Ogande a centre of academic excellence. Education is the key to success in life," Ida waxed during the ceremony.

Ochieng' said the government is going to install fibre optic, which has a high speed of Internet, in the school. This will enhance knowledge on ICT and innovation.

"We are going to install fibre optic in this school to ensure there is high-speed Internet. This will enable us to have an online library with all sorts of information," said Ochieng'. Ooozing wisdom, Early Learning and Basic Education PS Jwan said:

"It is better for a child to live under difficulties in school than roam in villages. We support this programme as a ministry."

Kaluma, an ever-present face in all the harambees and an active member of the Ogande Girls Harambee WhatsApp group, said the projects will transform the lives of children in future.

"This project will enable us to have product people in future. Let it be supported by all stakeholders," said Kaluma.

His neighbouring constituency MP, Dr Gogo, argued that the project will prevent children with ambition from travelling long distances in search of a good school.

"People used to admire Alliance Girls because of the good infrastructure. We are creating another Alliance Girls here," Gogo said.

In last week's fundraiser, the lineup consisted of the most powerful figures in the government. Those who didn't attend sent their hefty contributions. Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, President Ruto's right-hand man, Farouk Kibet, the speakers of the National Assembly and the Senate, governors, Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries and Members of Parliament were all lined up to attend the fundraiser.

Wife's course

The largest donation was by Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, who called the school principal to the dais and gave her a piece of paper, confirming that Sh50 million has been sent to the school's bank account.

"I was instructed by President Ruto to ensure the ministry worked with Mama Ida to make this project successful. The ministry has already deposited money in the account. Fifty million is not money I can walk around with in a kikapu. It is in the account," said Ogamba, who topped up the ministry's contribution with Sh500,000 of his own money.

Raymond Omollo, the Principal Secretary for Interior, contributed Sh500,000 while governors Anyang Nyongo and Gladys Wanga each contributed Sh1 million. The President contributed Sh5 million while Minority Leader in the National Assembly Junet Mohammed also gave out Sh1 million. Senator Moses Kajwang gave out Sh1 million while Raila supported his wife's course with a Sh2 million donation.

Back at Ogande Girls, the students who were in the school in 2020 when the project started, cleared school, some are already married with children while others, two years ago, have cleared their four year degree course at the university.

The schools BOM is currently chaired by the Rt. Rev. James Ochiel, the retired Bishop of Southern Nyanza, while the Parents Association chairman is Moses Nyambere.