John Garang’s Kenyan Chapter: From Kamiti Prison to Headmaster in Nyeri (1963–1965)
The late John Garang as Headmaster of Gatunga’ng’a Senior Secondary School in Nyeri 1965.
Garang first arrived in Kenya in 1963, but was locked up at Kamiti Maximum Prison. While there he met KANU politician cum trade unionist, Arthur Ochwada, who was also serving his prison term for embezzlement of KANU funds.
Ochwada, however, blamed Mboya for orchestrating his predicaments after they disagreed.
Nevertheless Garang narrated his situation to Ochwada, who fortunately enough was about to be released. Upon his release, Ochwada highlighted Garang’s plight to Minister for Home Affairs Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, who ordered the release of Garang.
He left for Uganda where he remained as a refugee , before making his way back to Kenya to work as a teacher after the country became a republic.
From Kenya he went to the USA for further studies then back to Sudan to work in the military.
