Little-known Ward in Bondo that Produced Some of Kenya’s Best-known Legal Minds

Yimbo West Ward is a little-known Ward found in the Bondo Constituency of  Siaya County. It includes the towns of Usenge, Got Agulu, Mahanga, and Mitundu. This location has produced some of  Kenya’s best-known legal minds.

Coincidentally the men and women who rose to be luminary judges and lawyers attended Usenge Primary School. They are as follows:

1. Justice George Ouko

He was born into the Goye tribe in 1961. He has a bachelor’s degree in law from the University of Nairobi and a master’s degree in criminology and criminal justice from Egerton University. In 1987, he began his career as a District Magistrate II and eventually rose through the ranks to become a Deputy Registrar, Senior Deputy Registrar, Principal Deputy Registrar, Chief Court Administrator, Registrar of the High Court, President of the Court of Appeal, and finally a Supreme Court Judge.

2. Lady Justice Hannah Okwengu.

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She graduated from the University of Nairobi with a bachelor’s degree in law. She began her career as a land registrar in Mombasa, then as an advocate with the Municipal Council of Mombasa, chief magistrates, assistant director of the Kenya Anti-Corruption Authority, judge in charge of the Mombasa Law Court, and currently as a court of Appeal judge.

3. Andrew Hayanga

He was a High Court judge at Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi.

4. PLO Lumumba

He was born in 1962 and is a steadfast lawyer in the country. He has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in law from the University of Nairobi, as well as a PhD in maritime law from the University of Ghent in Belgium. He was the Director of the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission as well as the Director of The Kenya School of Law.

5. Martin Otieno Opiacha

He was a lawyer who defended soldiers in the 1982 attempt coup to overthrow the KANU government.

Maybe there’s something about that myth that eating fish and being brainy are tied up somewhere, after all. For now, it’s congratulations to the men and women of Yimbo West Ward.