# Hezekiah Ochuka

Hezekiah Rabala Ochuka (23 July 1953 – 9 July 1987) was a Senior Private in the Kenya Air Force, who claimed to have ruled Kenya for about six hours after attempting a coup against president Daniel arap Moi. Ochuka was the centre of the 1982 attempted coup, which then-president Daniel arap Moi defeated in less than a day. Ochuka was a 29-year-old Grade 1 soldier, the second lowest rank in the military. Hezekiah assumed the title of chairman of a so-called "People's Redemption Council" that planned to replace President Moi. Hezekiah's military knowledge and connections enabled him to organize and attempt a coup against the Kenyan Government.

## Early life and career

Ochuka, of the Luo Nation, was born in Nyakach, Kisumu District. After attending Naki kabete Primary School and Mirogi Secondary School, Ochuka was recruited into the Kenya Air Force on 14 September 1976 in Mombasa. Hezekiah was raised by a single mother and his three older brothers. Being mostly around men, while his mother was working hard jobs to support the family, Hezekiah was always influenced by masculinity. He underwent eight weeks of military training at Lanet Army Barracks in Nakuru, and was posted to Eastleigh Air Base. Between 1976 and 1978, he underwent basic training and learned about in electrical devices and instruments, and worked in hangars and bays. From 30 October 1978 to 21 January 1980, he attended a course in RAF Cosford, UK, after which he worked as a Senior Private Grade-I, the second lowest rank in Kenya's military.

## The coup

On 1 August 1982, Ochuka ruled Kenya for approximately 6 hours, after he led a group of low ranked Air Force servicemen in a coup d'état attempt. The country woke up in confusion as heavy gunfire filled the air. A group of rogue soldiers led by Ochuka had seized power at night after storming the National broadcaster V.O.K. (now KBC) where they announced that they were now in charge of the country and were being fought by the loyal soldiers. They forced a group of Air Force fighter pilots to bomb the State House at gunpoint. The supposed "trusted" pilots pretended as if they were listening to orders given to them by their chief, but instead once in the air dropped bombs over Mount Kenya forests. President Moi later announced that loyal army and police units had crushed an attempted coup on his civilian government. The putsch was quickly suppressed by forces commanded by Chief of General Staff Mahamoud Mohamed, a veteran military official. They included the General Service Unit (GSU) — a paramilitary wing of the police — and later the regular police. At least 19 civilians were killed and scores of casualties were reported at the three air force bases. Kenyan Hospitals reported that 50 civilians were treated for gunshot wounds. More than 300 air force personnel were later captured and detained but the colonel who led the coup (Ochuka) was still at large. Ochuka subsequently escaped to Uganda before moving to Tanzania where Julius Nyerere had promised him protection. He was later extradited to Kenya along with a few more leading accomplices and found guilty in 1987.

## After the Coup

After Ochuka was captured from Tanzania he was then to be taken back to his home of Kenya to be tried, and was found guilty of all charges against him. Members of his entourage followed a similar fate: Ogidi, one of Hezekiah's coup accomplices, was told shortly after that Hezekiah had been accidentally shot by the Air Force. For that reason, Ogidi was told to make a call for help. This call, it transpired, was a setup coordinated to capture Ogidi himself. Ogidi left the Ngong Road house and drove towards town and on reaching the Grosvenor Hotel, where he then found a roadblock mounted by army personnel, under the command of a Navy officer. Ogidi was arrested, and was taken to Army headquarters, where an accomplice, Opwapo, was later brought as well. At the time of arrest, Ogidi had a submachine gun and 32 rounds of ammunition, both of which were taken by the army. Later, Ogidi was transferred to Kamiti Maximum Security Prison. Ochuka was hanged after being convicted of treason following a court martial, as well as Ogidi.