Born three decades ago in Gem, Siaya county, Ochieng has had both bad and good times but consistently used every opportunity to live to his personal treasure against all odds.
His academic life began at Ober Primary School before proceeding to Apuoyo Secondary after missing a chance to join Ambira high school where he had been called due to financial constraints.
“I performed outstandingly well in KCPE and was called to Ambira High School but due to financial constraints my mother couldn’t afford to foot the fee and instead opted for a day school.” Mr. Ochieng narrates to this writer.
While the decision to join a day secondary was a sigh of relief to Ochieng’s eldest brother who was the breadwinner for the family of five, it later turned out to be unmanageable since in his first year in school, he was on and off due to huge fee arrears.
Determined to complete his studies in the middle of challenges, Ochieng sought to have an audience with the then area MP Jakoyo Midiwo who he met later at the NG – CDF office and shared at length his plight.
Upon doing the necessary inquiries about his family background, the MP pledged to support the young Ochieng to a tune of Ksh. 5,000 every year from the bursary kitty.
This, he says, was a great sigh of relief to both his eldest brother and his mother who were hawker and peasant farmer respectively.
The late MP kept his promise to the later and three years later, Ochieng successfully sat for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).
With high expectations of joining College, Ochieng hustled in the village as he waited for the results alongside his peers with whom he had sat for the national exams but as fate would have it, his peers left the village to join colleges and universities while he went on with hustling hoping to also join a college.
TURNING POINT
After months of ‘hustling’ in the village without any possibility of joining a college, Ochieng reached out to his eldest brother and persuaded him to set up a small shop to accommodate him as he looked for ways to move to a town.
“I convinced my brother who had then moved from Kisumu to Ndori to set up a small shop to accommodate me as I tried to find foot in the town and he gladly agreed.”
A year later, while on his daily errands, he met a smartly dressed gentleman who would then ask him for directions to a prestigious school where he had an appointment with a teacher.
The youthful politician says that he felt something deep inside that the man was his destiny helper and swiftly presented his predicament to him.
It was apparent to him that the man was a polished insurance consultant who at the time was working as a manager in one of the most sought-after insurance companies in Kisumu.
Ochieng would later be introduced to the insurance industry by this man, something he said he did exceptionally well and would later secure a chance in a Nairobi based company.
Through the support of the company (Pioneer Insurance) under the headship of then regional manager Mr. Edward Omutho, Mr. Ochieng was offered partial academic sponsorship, undertaking Executive Certificate of Proficiency at the Kenya College of Insurance domiciled at the Rift Valley Technical and Training Institute (RVTTI) and subsequently a Diploma in Insurance and business management from the same institution.
ACTIVE POLITICS
Towards the end of the year 2021, Ochieng left the insurance industry and joined politics as a digital media influencer for Engineer Adrian Ouma, a Parliamentary contestant for Gem Constituency.
However, Mr Ouma did not get to the ballot due to political negotiations but managed to secure an appointment to a public office.
Later he met seasoned politician and architect JT Okinda who at the time was running for Siaya county senatorial seat.
As a bold, straight – forward and dedicated young man, Okinda in his wisdom appointed Petro as his Personal and Office Assistant.
Mr. JT, who vied as an independent candidate, sadly lost to ODM’s candidate Dr. Oburu Oginga after emerging second in a hotly contested race.
After officially joining the ruling party United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Petro Ochieng is keen on his approach to politics in the run up to the party’s leadership elections and has since joined the race for organizing secretary in Siaya county, a position he believes he’ll emerge victorious and help popularize the party in an ODM dominated zone.
He urges youths to debunk the narrative of youths being the leaders of tomorrow and instead be part of the transformational leadership they long to see.
“When young people are disenfranchised from political processes, a significant portion of the population has little influence in decisions that affect group members’ lives.” He said
He is urging the government to give a listening ear to the emerging Generation Z and consider addressing some of the critical concerns they are raising on the financial bill 2024.
Petro who is aspiring to undertake a BA in Political science and Public Administration concludes by a rallying call to the youths across the country to team up and be part of the transformation since there’s no better time other than now.