26/08/2025
When Moody Awori's sister Grace Wakhugu was ordered to pay a fine of KES 707,562,808.00 or serve a jail term in 2020, many Kenyans were shocked.
However, seventeen days later, the large Awori family managed to raise KES 804,616,739.00 to secure their kin's freedom.
The Awori's are not your ordinary Joe-come-late.
Sample this:
The first successful kidney transplant in Kenya (and by an African) was done in 1978 at Kenyatta National Hospital.
Leading the team through this breakthrough was Prof. Mark Nelson Wanyama Awori brother to NARC era Vice President Moody Awori.
Prof Awori studied medicine at Makerere before proceeding to the UK to specialise as a Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
He had a distinguished career as a surgeon and researcher in kidney related ailments.
He died in a fatal road crash in 1986.
Prof. Nelson Awori Centre in Upper Hill was build by the Awori family in his honour.
The late Hannington Awori, an engineer,
began his career at the Unilever Group
before chairing boards of blue chip
companies including Nation Media
Group and Standard Chartered Bank.
Mrs Rodah Awori - Ouya became the wife of Dr. John Ouya, one of Kenya's first physicians, while Mrs Margaret Openda's husband David Openda was among the earliest educationists at the Kenya Institute Of Education.
The 12th born child of the canon Jeremiah Musungu Awori, Grace Odongo Awori, studied business and finance at Hendon College of Technology in London.
She started working in Uganda.
Her last jobs were general manager of Kenya Reinsurance Corporation and deputy CEO, Consolidated Bank of Kenya.
Grace married the late educationist Matthew Wakhung’u, father of former Environment Secretary Judi Wakhungu, ex ambassador to France.
Makini Schools rank up there with the best of private institutions in Kenya.
Behind them is the hand of another Awori, Mary Okello.
A trailblazer in every sense, Mary studied history at Makerere University. She then worked for Barclays Bank, becoming first woman branch manager in Kenya.
She held senior positions in international banking organisations such as Women’s World Banking.
In 1987, WWB seconded her to the African Development Bank. She closed her illustrious career as the vice president of WWB in New York.
She married Dr Pius Okello, an engineer.
The 14th child in the family, Christine Awori-Hayanga studied law at the University of Dar-es-Salaam where she was the only woman in a class of '70.
She held her first job at the Attorney General chambers.
She later worked for the Agricultural Finance Corporation and the UN Food and Agricultural Organization, FAO.
She is married to a retired judge, the late Justice Andrew Isaac Hayanga.
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