Oprong's son still waiting on Ruto's promise of a job

Lawrence Amuke Oprong, the man arrested in January last year as he chained himself outside the entrance to Deputy President William Ruto’s office over a job promise, maintains he is still waiting for the offer. 

Now that Ruto is the Head of State, Amuke is optimistic that the President will honour the pledge made while on tour in the city.

Amuke is the son of former Amagoro MP and assistant minister, the late Oduya Oprong. The man says following the demise of his father, he has been living a life of squalor in Eastlands, where he is struggling to raise his young family.

Amuke said he met the President while he was the  DP in 2017 when he went to commission the Masaba Road construction in Upper Hill.

He said that after talking to the DP about his joblessness predicament, Dr Ruto referred him to his aides, the late Ken Osinde, Martin Mwiti and Reuben Maiyo, who promised to act but went silent afterwards. 

“I have pulled all my efforts to reaching the President since the officials he referred me to didn’t assist me in getting a job in the government, but I am still hopeful that the President will give me a job soon,” said Amuke.

When he ran out of patience, Amuke chained himself at the Harambee House Annex, hoping to catch the eye of the DP. However, he was arrested by a contingent of police officers in civilian after he defied an order by uniformed officers to unchain himself. He was then taken to Central Police Station and released after he emerged as a job seeker.

“We wanted to establish from the man whether he was an activist sent by the Deputy President's opponent to cause unnecessary drama for the political benefit of his detractors,” said one officer who interrogated Amuke.

“Now that President is occupying the highest seat in the land, I beg him to remember me and offer me any job I will appreciate as I know he is a gentleman,” said Amuke.