Deputy Chief of Staff in the Executive Office of the President, Performance and Delivery Management Eliud Owalo has mourned the death of former Cabinet Minister Peter Oloo Aringo.
Aringo was a Minister for Education under the late President Daniel Arap Moi. He also served as the Member of Parliament for Alego Constituency between 1974 to 1988, and later from 1997 to 2002.
In a statement on Saturday, November 2, 2024, Owalo described the deceased as an eloquent minister and a prolific debater in the National Assembly.
In his tribute, Owalo also credited the late Aringo to the establishment of the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC).
“It’s with great shock and utter disbelief that I have learnt of the demise of former Cabinet Minister Peter “Castro” Oloo Aringo.
“We will remember Oloo Aringo as an eloquent and intelligent Cabinet Minister; an Avid Debator during his stint as MP; and subsequently as a pioneer of Kenya’s Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC),” Owalo’s statement read in part.
Last meeting
The Deputy Chief Staff further disclosed that he met the former minister on January 14, 2024, where they deliberated on a wide range of issues.
Of interest during their meeting was former the deceased to share insights on how he managed the Information Ministry which Owalo was also tasked with running the docket before he was dismissed at the height of anti-government protests.
“Early this year on January 14, 2024, I visited Hon. Oloo Aringo at his Nairobi residence where we had a lengthy conversation on various issues,” Owalo added.
“At this moment of grief, I join the family, friends, relatives, the people of Alego and Kenyans at large in mourning one of the most brilliant minds Kenya has ever produced,” Owalo added.
It’s with great shock and utter disbelief that I have learnt of the demise of former Cabinet Minister Peter “Castro” Oloo Aringo.
— Eliud Owalo, FIHRM, EGH (@EliudOwalo) November 2, 2024
Early this year on 14th January 2024, I visited Hon. Oloo Aringo at his Nairobi residence where we had a lengthy conversation on various isssues.
We… pic.twitter.com/yseDEcfjr8
Aringo’s demise was also confirmed by the current Alego Usonga MP Samuel Atandi who noted that the former minister died while receiving treatment.
Aringo’s notable contributions
Aringo who served as minister during Moi’s rule played a critical role in the implementation of the now-defunct 8-4-4 system.
He is also among the lawmakers who pushed for the recognition and accreditation of Moi, Maseno and Egerton as public institutions of higher learning.
He also served in various dockets including as a Minister for Information and Broadcasting before he was moved to Environment, Labour, Education and the Ministry of Employment.
