Kenyan Ambassador to Qatar, Patrick Paddy Cornel Ahenda was, in Nigerian Laureate Chinua Achebe’s words, “the chick that will grow into a cockerel that was spotted the very day it hatched”.
The author may as well have been referring to the envoy who is a former Kasipul-Kabondo Member of Parliament (MP) in Homa Bay County, and was the 2013 and 2017 Orange Democratic Party (ODM) Nyanza presidential coordinator and campaigner.
Indeed, Ahenda has been a trail-blazer and change-maker in the 70 years he strode the earth as a student leader, marketing manager, entrepreneur, and chairman of various Parents’ Teachers Associations (PTAs), MP and eventually an envoy.
As a student at Ringa Primary, Muslim Secondary, in Kisumu City, and St Mary’s High School in Yala, Siaya County, his leadership qualities emerged in the classroom, sports arena and debating club where he excelled to the admiration of many of his school-mates and teachers.
Trail blazer
He secured his first job at The Standard Bank Ltd before moving to S&O Company Ltd. and Jos Hansen & Co. Ltd. in Nairobi and Eldoret where he rose within the ranks to managerial positions, thanks to his discipline and impressive work ethic.
Paddy and love of his life, Mildred Akinyi, tied the knot at a colourful wedding ceremony a week after the August 1, 1982 abortive coup attempt. The daring guests who graced the colourful event were highly impressed with meticulous discipline that ensured the function strictly adhered to curfew rules that were in force at the time.
His enthusiasm would at times get him into trouble as happened when he sealed “a deal of the century” with a foreign firm to import telex and fax machines into the country. It was the first time such a deal had been concluded.
Wind of the deal, which had not been sanctioned by the authorities, got to President Moi who then cancelled the deal with the equipment still in the high seas. Addressing a national day event: Moi had said: “My government will not allow the importation of machines that will allow local dissidents and their foreign masters to malign me and my government!” And with that statement, Paddy’s dream of joining the millionaire’s club vanished in thin air.
But that did not dampen Paddy’s entrepreneurial spirit. He later resigned from the firm and went into private business involving importation and disposal of office machines that included telex, and of all things, fax machines! This must have come after the Moi had recanted his fear for fax and telex machines.
There was no turning back for the budding businessman-cum-leader, Ahenda later teamed up with his wife, Mildred, and founded PadMill Secondary School, Nairobi, with a peak intake of over 200 students.
At institutions of learning attended by his children, Paddy found himself in leadership positions. He at different times was Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) Chairman at St Mary’s High School, Yala and the prestigious Nairobi’s Makini School.
While in business the bug of politics bit him, drawing him to venture into the murky waters through involvement in the community activities in Kasipul-Kabondo Constituency. He closely understudied the then area MP and his mentor, James Mbori.
Ahenda endeared himself to the electorate by officiating at harambees (funds-drives) for schools, churches and other development projects in the constituency. So effective was he that opponents resorted to calling him “Ja Asembo (outsider)” in their bid to ostracize him by clan, but failed to drive a wedge between him and his supporters. He countered his challengers by soldiering on and used his fairly effective slogan, Paddy medi-medi (just go on adding us good things).
One of his most successful ventures was a constituency women groups’ silkworm project for the export market which won him a lot of support, thanks to the empowerment of women that secured employment, hence boosting the economy and standards of living.
With that one move, he captured the youth, women and elders to support him and his manifesto.
He bid his time until 1997 when he plunged into politics but lost in the controversial party primaries for the parliamentary election against Oloo Otula. He tried again in 2002 and lost to Peter Owidi. But luck struck on his third attempt following the death of Owidi in 2005. He won the by-election on a Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) ticket, whose leader was Langata MP, Hon. Raila Odinga.
Game-changer
Ahenda wore many hats; he was the National Democratic Party (NDP) Organising Secretary and later was appointed Orange Democratic Party (ODM’s) Nyanza Presidential Elections Coordinator and Campaigner for Odinga ahead of the 2013 and 2017 General Elections.
After marking time in the political cold, the former MP who had developed good and close relations with the ODM Leader was one of the beneficiaries of the famous 2018 truce and handshake between Jubilee party’s President Kenyatta and Odinga, leading to his appointment as Ambassador to the Gulf State.
During his tour of duty, Ahenda worked with dedication and pride. His last visit to Kenya to be with his wife, immediate and extended family during Christmas 2021 after a long break occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic. Little did he know that it would be the last time he would be seeing them before his last trumpet call.
Paddy breathed his last on April 4, 2022, two months away from his 70th birthday leaving behind a wife and four children - two sons and two daughters, and five wonderful grandchildren. He will be buried on Easter Monday (April 18, 2022) at his Nyasore home.
Tributes by friends, colleagues and admirers of the late Ambassador, Paddy Ahenda
Dr. Mary Okelo, founder Director of Makini Schools has fond memories of Ahenda as Chairman of the Parent’s Teachers Association (PTA) in the 1980s: “He was progressive in his ideas and was very involved in the education of his children and our students as a PTA member. He always attended meetings, made useful contributions and gave good ideas on how to improve educational standards in our school. In short, he was a very pleasant person and we will miss him dearly.”
Former Rangwe MP, Dr Shem Ochuodho who is the chairman of Kenya Diaspora Alliance, says: “In his short stint in Doha, Qatar, Ambassador Ahenda left indelible marks. He also feathered the largest savings and credit society (SACCO) in the Gulf region. More recently, Qatar turned over one of the highest registration with Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) among other Diaspora voters.”
Sam Omondi is a former colleague who worked under him in 1992 at S& O when he was Product Manager: “He was a pleasant boss to work with, he taught me the ropes and I will always remember him for making me who I am today in the corporate world. He loved music, especially Lingala by TO OK Jazz and Franco, and Luo benga musicians like Ochieng Kabaselle, who composed a song in his honour.”
Photo-journalist, Thomas Mokaya: “Paddy was a humble man; he celebrated mass at the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Buru Buru Estate, near his house, in Nairobi, without any pomp or colour every Sunday when he was in Nairobi.”
Media consultant and trainer, Martin Ocholli, who tutored newly appointed envoys before their posting to their respective stations around the world: “My interaction with Balozi (envoy) was brief but his sense of humour was unmistakable. He was particularly fascinated with the topic on intercultural communications.”
Former Head of Communication at Homa Bay and later Kisumu County government, John Oywa: “Paddy was known for his sharp dressing in designer suits and his trade-mark suspenders. He also used to make fan that although his home village is called Nyasore (cannabis sativa); he had never tasted weed!”
Marikos Tindi, a friend in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, whom Ahenda visited in the company of Raila Odinga, on eve of 2007 General Elections: “It is sad that Paddy has gone. During Parliamentary debate on the Sexual Offences Bill, he joked that if the law was passed, many men in a south-western region of the country would be in jail because of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) that’s rampant in the area. On gender, he joked that “we must treat women well so that when we return home, cows will lose their lives because an important person (him), has come back home”. He was both comical and quite pragmatic.”
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