The picture below is that of Professor Peter Odada Sumba, one of the leading research scientists at Kenya Medical Research Institute [KEMRI] based in Kisumu.
On 15th June 2018, Prof Odada was shot and died two days later at Agha Khan Hospital in Kisumu.
Media reports and the police passed the incident as another act of thuggery.
But incidentally, nothing was stolen from Professor.
Professor Odada was watching the opening match of this year's world cup with a group of his friends at a pub near his home when a group of about seven guys riding on motorbikes came to the pub and told him they had been looking for him for long while they commanded everyone else to lie down.One of them then shot him at the lower abdomen area shattering his internal organs.
This was not another act of violent robbery as the police put it or would want us to believe.
Prof Odada was fondly referred to as "mtetezi wa wanyonge" by the rank and file of KEMRI in Kisumu for standing up for their rights.
About three years ago, more than 1500 employees at KEMRI were led redundant (jobless) after the largest KEMRI's financier, America's Center for Disease Control [CDC] stopped it's funding due to embezzlement of funds by top officials at KEMRI.
These funds are meant for KEMRI operations and salaries for employees.
Professor Odada stood against these malpractices and was known to point out the culprits because they were not only destroying people's lives when they render them redundant, but because they were also hobbling our country's scientific progress.
Before his untimely death, Prof Odada was poised to head a new research facility that was to be set up in Homa Bay County.
His clean track record and financial intergrity in financial dealings meant for research purposes had won him admirers even in international research institutions who had found a rare jewel of a clean Kenyan in a country that's now a sea of corruption.
Science is what this country needs most and Prof Odada had committed his life to it's advancement and hence his strict adherence to financial integrity in research funds.
That we have people at our premier research institution that is KEMRI who cannot fathom the import of research advancement and would even go ahead to have such a brilliant mind eliminated should be a matter of concern to every citizen in this country.
Up to date, no arrests have been made.
It's maddeningly sickening that such homegrown brains can be eliminated to smooth the way for corrupt officials to run amok and yet we are unashamedly happy to pay a leg and an arm to hire foreigners to come and treat us.
It's time we Kenyans demanded that such blatant raping of our country and our souls stops.
Professor Peter Odada's death should never be in vain.
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