Kenya:Political Book Author Disappears
July 4 2017 By Abiodun Giwa
The author's father showing photos of his son at a news conference (Courtesy: DailyNation)
Newton Ochieng Ong'ele, the author of a new book "The Raila Conspiracy", has disappeared in Kenya, according to the Daily Nation newspapers.
No one, including members of Ong'ele's family seems to be aware of his whereabouts. The report about Ong'ele's disappearance said that his father, Dalmas Ong'ele, said he spoke to his son last on the phone, on June 25.
The author's father has appealed to the NASA's presidential candidate, Raila Odinga, to help locate his son.
Although, Ong'ele's father has not expressed suspicion or a foul against Odinga in his son's disappearance, but seems to have sought his help as a confidant.
Odinga was billed to be a special guest at the book launch. Odinga has called on the police to help locate the missing author. Odinga said that the police have a responsibility to trace the author and for the police to inform the public about his whereabouts. While Ong'ele's father expressed conviction that his son's disappearance cannot be unconnected to the book he has published.
The missing author reportedly told the media three weeks ago that there was a conspiracy by the government machinery to block the sale of his book in Kenya before the August 8 elections, and added that the book was published by Magadashan Printers in India in April 2017, but the shipment to Kenya was seized at the Mombasa Airport.
No comment has been made about the content of the book, The Raila Conspiracy", which may have attracted the anger of the people in power. The conjecture here is that if the book "The Raila Conspiracy" has scheduled Raila Odinga as a special guest at the launch, and the shipment of the book seized at the Mombasa Airport, the content must have been favorable to the opposition and unfavorable to the government.
One major possibility about the author's disappearance hangs around the likelihood that he may have been kidnapped, and to be kept away from launching his book before the elections. But statement by the author's father that he had declined his son's invitation to be at his book launch before his disappearance due to the death of the author's younger sister had caused silent prayers for the author's safety.
Newton Ochieng Onge'le has not only disappeared, his cell phone has also stopped working since his disappearance, according to the news report. The general election election in Kenya is about one month and few days away on August 8.
No one, including members of Ong'ele's family seems to be aware of his whereabouts. The report about Ong'ele's disappearance said that his father, Dalmas Ong'ele, said he spoke to his son last on the phone, on June 25.
The author's father has appealed to the NASA's presidential candidate, Raila Odinga, to help locate his son.
Although, Ong'ele's father has not expressed suspicion or a foul against Odinga in his son's disappearance, but seems to have sought his help as a confidant.
Odinga was billed to be a special guest at the book launch. Odinga has called on the police to help locate the missing author. Odinga said that the police have a responsibility to trace the author and for the police to inform the public about his whereabouts. While Ong'ele's father expressed conviction that his son's disappearance cannot be unconnected to the book he has published.
The missing author reportedly told the media three weeks ago that there was a conspiracy by the government machinery to block the sale of his book in Kenya before the August 8 elections, and added that the book was published by Magadashan Printers in India in April 2017, but the shipment to Kenya was seized at the Mombasa Airport.
No comment has been made about the content of the book, The Raila Conspiracy", which may have attracted the anger of the people in power. The conjecture here is that if the book "The Raila Conspiracy" has scheduled Raila Odinga as a special guest at the launch, and the shipment of the book seized at the Mombasa Airport, the content must have been favorable to the opposition and unfavorable to the government.
One major possibility about the author's disappearance hangs around the likelihood that he may have been kidnapped, and to be kept away from launching his book before the elections. But statement by the author's father that he had declined his son's invitation to be at his book launch before his disappearance due to the death of the author's younger sister had caused silent prayers for the author's safety.
Newton Ochieng Onge'le has not only disappeared, his cell phone has also stopped working since his disappearance, according to the news report. The general election election in Kenya is about one month and few days away on August 8.
