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| The Life and Times of a Neglected British Goodwill Ambassador in Kenya and Abroad |
 PRINTABLE VERSION |
Following conscription by the colonial era labor officers, Mr. Achieng’ careered with another British colonial officer, Mr. J.R. Fenton between 1958 and 1960. In the course of 1960, he left Mr. Pantone’s employment for an onward engagement with a Kisumu City hotel, where he stayed on for four months. Upon leaving the hotel, the middle aged man immediately embarked on his initial business of wholesaling fish from Lake Tanganyika and ferrying to Mwanza, Kigoma and Tabora in Tanzania; and Kisumu and Mombasa cities in Kenya.
1963 heralded approaching independence for Kenya, and Mr. Achieng’s profession was further sharpened under a retired colonial British railway officer, Mr. George Bick. With a wife, Laura and seven children; Rita, Norma, Sheila, Noreen, Walter, Geoffrey and Jared, Mr. Bick lived in Kilindini, Mombasa opposite the Kenya Brewery plant. His daughter Rita, Mr. Achieng’ recalls, is now a Catholic nun in Lushoto, Tanzania.
In 1967, Mr. Achieng’s occupation was to take him to Moscow, in the then Soviet Union. This was when he was deployed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kenya government as Chef de Pâté of its embassy in Moscow. Up to 1969, the assiduous Chef worked under Ambassador David Kayanda, the then Kenyan Ambassador to the Soviet Union. September of the same year saw his contract expiring. He came back to the country and his meticulous services were immediately tapped by Sir Stanley John Arthur, a British national and trade officer who lived on Karura Road in Nairobi. His contract with the good Knight expired in 1970, when Sir Arthur was deployed to the Malta Islands as the Governor. Sir Arthur had three children, all girls with two twin sisters, Petronila and Patricia. Phyllis (ter) was his other daughter.
On June the 26th, 1971, Mr. Achieng’ was employed as the Chef to Sir Leonard Allison, Counselor at the British High Commission in Kenya. It is this nine-month long rapport with the Allisons that saw them sponsor the construction of the workshop into a school, Mr. Achieng’ had founded in his community. Lady Pamela Allison later came and officiated at the opening ceremony of the workshop at Bar Mathonye Primary School in Mr. Achieng’s village. He remembers the Allisons residence on 68 Muthaiga Road in Nairobi, as a beehive of hard work and open-heartedness.
At Sir Leonard’s place, Mr. Achieng’s worked along with a Mr. Augustine Nyamori Makodwar and a Mr. Stanley Lukhongo. Another diplomat at the British High Commission, a Mr. Munroe, was, according to Mr. Achieng’, a very hard working person who spent precious hours at their busy Hamilton House offices in Nairobi.
In 1971, while employed by the British High Commission Counselor, Sir Leonard, Mr. Achieng’ culinary thoroughness saw him being invited to cater for the visiting royalty duo of Princess Anna and Prince Charles. The two were staying at Sir Leonard’s residence. During their two week stay, Mr. Achieng’ had the opportunity to let loose his fine gastronomic skills on the British royals and especially on Prince Charles. As the two monarchs were leaving, a huge garden party was organized for them at a Chui Road, Karen house.
The who is who in Kenya were invited to the party to bid farewell to the Prince and the Princess. At the party, the dexterous Chef once again displayed his catering expertise when he baked a 50 kilogram cake for them. Princess Anna and Prince Charles visibly impressed with his adroitness, offered to take the cake to the mother Queen Elizabeth. As well, they pledged to Mr. Achieng’ that they would send back 550,000 British pounds to him and his workmates as a thank you. Mr. Achieng’ is yet to receive the money, 35 years later.
In mid-1972, Mr. Achieng’ was again sent by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kenya to be the Chef de Pâté for the Kenyan Embassy in Moscow. During this period, he worked under Ambassador John Ouko Ndisi (now deceased). He was to return to Kenya from Moscow in February 1973 and proceed briefly with further construction of the school he had founded in his constituency. After a short hiatus at home between 1974 and 1975, Mr. Achieng’ became the Chef to the former Assistant Minister for Tourism and Amagoro Constituency Member of Parliament, Hon. Albert A.A. Ekirapa. He was to work with Hon. Ekirapa at their Mbagathi Ridge, Karen Nairobi residence up to 1977. In 1978, he proceeded to Mombasa City where he was employed as the Chief Chef at the Tower Room Hotel in Port Reitz, located on the city’s mainland north.
With the arrival of 1980, and old age gradually approaching, the tireless Mr. Achieng’ took up gastronomic duty with a 75 year old British real estate magnate, Mr. Donald Vincent at his residence opposite Karen Club in Nairobi. An eye ailment was to see Donald taken to the Seychelles Islands by his only child and son, Tony. Tony lived in London and had three children.
Come 1982, Mr. Achieng’ was employed by Captain David Bolden, a British pilot, at his Windy Ridge, Karen home. During this period, he interacted with such prominent British personalities as Lord Blundell, Sir Dennis Pritt, Lord Havelock, and Lord Cavendish. Sir Dennis Pritt lived in a Windy Ridge house rented from the Kenyattas through Mr. Sammy M. Njuguna, a member of the family. Lord Blundell had also married a Lady Margaret, whose pilot husband had died in an accident a few years earlier. Mr. Achieng’ remembers Lady Margaret as a decent woman who had one daughter.
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Antony Felix O. Simbowo
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