President William Ruto has announced that he will launch the biography of freedom fighter Ramogi Achieng Oneko, book titled “The Price of Freedom,” during Mashujaa Day celebrations in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County.
Speaking at Kipchoge Keino Stadium, Ruto honored Oneko and his fellow members of the Kapenguria Six, who were arrested in 1952 by the British colonial authorities.
“Later today, I will have the privilege of launching Achieng’ Oneko’s biography, The Price of Freedom, an important publication that preserves his legacy and a defining chapter in our nation’s history,” Ruto said.
The launch coincides with the 74th anniversary of the arrest of the Kapenguria Six in 1952, where the President noted that the freedom fighters endured imprisonment and detention alongside other patriots who experienced torture, loss of property and exile in the struggle for independence.
“We honor Mzee Jomo Kenyatta and his fellow Kapenguria Six: Bildad Kagia, Achieng’ Oneko, Kung’u Karumba, Fred Kubai, and Paul Ngei. Their struggle was not merely to replace one authority with another, but to secure for every Kenyan the freedom, dignity, and right to determine their own destiny,” Ruto said.
The launching of the biography is a reminder that the freedom Kenyans celebrate today came at a cost, with individuals risked their lives.