Robert Ouko (politician)

Robert Ouko
Ouko in 1981
Minister for Foreign Affairs
In office 1988–1990
President	Daniel arap Moi
Preceded by	Zachary Onyonka
Succeeded by	Wilson Ndolo Ayah
In office 1979–1983
President	Daniel arap Moi
Preceded by	Munyua Waiyaki
Succeeded by	Elijah Mwangale
Member of Parliament
In office 1979–1988
Preceded by	Wycliffe Ayoki
Succeeded by	Wilson Ndolo Ayah
Constituency	Kisumu Rural
Member of Parliament
In office 1988–1990
Preceded by	Wilson Ndolo Ayah
Succeeded by	Joab Henry Omino
Constituency	Kisumu Town
Personal details
Born	John Robert Ouko 31 March 1931 (1931-03-31) Nyahera, Nyanza, British Kenya
Died	13 February 1990 (1990-02-14) (aged 58) Koru, Kenya
Manner of death	Assassination
Resting place	Koru
Political party	Kenya African National Union (KANU)
Children	8
Residence	Koru
Alma mater	Haile Selassie University Makerere University University of Nairobi
Occupation	teacher, civil servant, politician

John Robert Ouko (31 March 1931 – c. 13 February 1990) was a Kenyan politician who served two spells as Foreign Minister of Kenya: from 1979 to 1983 and from 1988 to 1990. Ouko served in the government of Kenya from the colonial period through the presidencies of Jomo Kenyatta and Daniel arap Moi. He was a member of the National Assembly for Kisumu and a cabinet minister, rising to the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation by 1990. On 13 February 1990, Ouko was found murdered in Muhoroni; the assassination, perhaps the most intriguing in Kenyan history, remains unsolved.

A report presented in parliament in 2010 states that the murder was carried out in one of then President Daniel arap Moi's official residences. It also called for further investigations into top officials, including one of Moi's closest allies, Nicholas Biwott, who denied responsibility.^[1] In late December 2010 the report was rejected by Parliament on the grounds of a lack of unity, and disagreements within the committee.^[2]