Flamboyance in dress and language may very well make a person stand out. In fact, it’s one of the reasons Kenyans came to love and appreciate the late Orie Rogo Manduli. In one of her interviews, when asked where she was headed, she simply replied, “the stars.” But there were other things that met our eyes beyond her exquisite taste and faith in her future. 

 

Early Life

Born in 1948 in Kaloleni in Kisumu, Orie was named Mary Orie Rogo, and was one of the children of Gordon Rogo and Zeruiah Adhiambo – both of whom had been educated and joined the education industry as headmaster and teacher respectively. For this reason, from an early age, the importance of literacy was proven to Orie who received formal education. She attended Ng’iya Girls High School in Siaya – the same school her mother had attended, before she transferred to Butere Girls High School, and later Machakos Girls. Somewhere between these schools, Mary’s love for fashion and modelling took root. At 16 she was crowned Miss Kenya and this became one of many exceptional milestones in her life’s journey. But also, by attending some of the best high schools in the country, Orie had a bright future ahead of her.  

After high school, she proceeded to Machakos Teachers College following in the steps of her parents. Around this time (or shortly after her time at the college), Mary got married and decided to delay her career in teaching to immerse herself in family life as both a wife and mother. 

 

Fast Cars and Big Dreams

By the 60s the East African Safari Rally had become one of the top rallies globally. The first Safari Rally had been held in Kenya in 1953 and since then had become an annual event that excited Kenyans who had a thrill for speed, dust, and revving engines. In one of her recent interviews, Orie – who was by then still going by Mary – reflected back to the early 70s when the Rally was still a big hit and shared that after she’d acquired her driver’s license, she signed up to participate in the Rally. At that time in Rally history, while lovers of Rallies cut across different age groups and genders, most participants prior had been men but no Kenyan woman had participated despite Kenya being the host country.  

In 1974 she decided to change the tide. The 1974 Rally – which was then renamed to Kenya Safari Rally – presented another cohort of Rally drivers and among them was the female duo consisting of Orie and her co-driver Sylvia Omino, dubbed as the “rally girls”. The title was a great fit became they were the first indigenous Kenyan women to participate, and Orie made history as the first African woman rally driver. Their Rally car? A Mitsubishi Colt. But while the duo didn’t finish the race, they’re participation remains legendary to this day. This was also around the time she decided to drop the name Mary and so began the era of her identity as Orie Rogo. 

 

Passion for Fashion

At the time Orie was working at the Kenya Railways and Harbours Corporation. She later immersed herself into women’s activism, and at the Fourth International Conference for Women in Beijing in 1995, she joined the International Council of Women. 

As time went by, Orie’s love for fashion grew and evolved with time. She was undoubtedly one of the Kenyan women who made large, extravagant headgear a fashion item – a trend that was soon taken up by other Kenyan women and seen as an Orie Rogo trademark. 

 

Another Notch in the Belt

In 2005 Orie Rogo made it to the list of female firsts once again when she was appointed as the chairperson for the National Council of Non-Governmental Organisations. In interviews that followed this appointment, Orie proved to be a strong advocate for women when she repeatedly encouraged women to challenge patriarchal pillars, and use their voices to do so. And she did the same too. During her tenure as chairperson, several critics questioned her leadership skills and eventually booted her out of her seat, but Orie wasn’t one to be broken by such issues. 

She had her experience in politics, but later settled as a business woman up until her passing on 8th September 2021. 

We pay tribute to this brazen woman through story, and hope that many more women will be inspired by her boldness.