Biography of first Migori Governor Zachary Okoth Obado now convicted of murder

Former Migori Governor Zachary Okoth Obado was found guilty on Thursday, July 23, 2026, over the 2018 murder of Rongo University student Sharon Otieno, who was seven months pregnant when she was killed.

In a judgment delivered after a trial that lasted almost eight years, Justice Cecilia Githua ruled that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

The case involved testimony from 42 prosecution witnesses and the presentation of 81 exhibits.

The court concluded that Obado played a central role in the crime by providing the motive, instigation and financial support that facilitated Sharon's killing.

His former personal assistant, Michael Oyamo, and former Migori County clerk Caspal Obiero were also convicted. According to the judgment, Oyamo coordinated the execution of the plan while Obiero helped facilitate the logistical cover-up.

Justice Githua dismissed Obado's defence that he had accepted Sharon's pregnancy and continued supporting her financially. Although he admitted learning about the pregnancy in March 2018, the court found that he later became evasive, withdrew his support and sought to prevent news of the affair from becoming public.

Evidence presented during the trial showed Sharon had repeatedly demanded that Obado publicly acknowledge both her and the pregnancy. She also wanted him to provide her with a house, a vehicle and employment, warning that she would expose their relationship if he failed to do so.

The court further heard that Obado had encouraged Sharon to terminate the pregnancy and allegedly gave her Sh30,000 to procure an abortion.

Medical evidence presented during the trial showed Sharon suffered eight stab wounds before she was strangled. The postmortem also concluded that she had been sexually assaulted before her death.

While the three accused were convicted of Sharon's murder, they were acquitted on a separate charge relating to the death of her unborn child because Kenyan law requires a murder victim to have been born alive.

Following the conviction, the court denied the three bond pending sentencing, meaning they remain in custody.

Obado was born in 1957 in present-day Uriri Sub-County, Migori County. Little has been publicly documented about his childhood.

He attended St. Joseph's Rapogi Secondary School before enrolling at Kenyatta University, where he obtained a Bachelor's degree in Education.

He later returned to the institution and earned a Master's degree in Strategic Management.

Before joining politics, Obado worked as a science teacher at Rapogi Secondary School before being transferred by the Teachers Service Commission to Taranganya Boys High School in Kuria.

He later left teaching to venture into sugarcane farming and business.

In 2010, he was appointed Chairman of the Kenya Sugar Board, a position that significantly expanded his political and business networks.

The appointment came under the Ministry of Agriculture and is widely regarded as the period during which he established close ties with William Ruto, who was serving as Agriculture Minister.

Obado entered elective politics during the 2013 General Election after falling out with ODM following a disputed party nomination against Prof. Edward Oyugi.

He abandoned the party and successfully contested the Migori gubernatorial seat on a People's Democratic Party (PDP) ticket.

His victory, which was later upheld following a court-ordered recount, made him the only governor from Luo Nyanza who was not elected through ODM.

Ahead of the 2017 General Election, Obado returned to ODM and secured the party's gubernatorial ticket.

He went on to defeat Ochilo Ayacko and earned a second five-year term as Migori governor.

From 2021, Obado's relationship with ODM leadership deteriorated once again.

He gradually gravitated back toward the People's Democratic Party while publicly aligning himself with William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA), despite maintaining that PDP and UDA had no formal political arrangement.

After completing his second term in 2022, Obado exited elective politics and did not contest another seat.

Although no longer holding public office, he has remained active in political discussions, particularly on developments in Nyanza politics.

He has also criticised zoning arrangements associated with the ODM-UDA broad-based government cooperation witnessed during 2025 and 2026.

Obado's political journey has largely been shaped by his changing relationships with Kenya's two most influential political figures, Raila Odinga and William Ruto.

For much of his governorship, Obado maintained a strained relationship with the late Raila Odinga.

He frequently challenged Raila's influence within Luo Nyanza and positioned himself as an alternative regional political figure, often taking positions that differed from those of ODM leadership.

The tensions became more visible when Raila accused Obado of working with William Ruto to weaken ODM's dominance in the region. One of the public flashpoints came after Obado distributed UDA-branded wheelbarrows during a funeral event, prompting criticism from Raila.

Raila Odinga died on October 15, 2025, in India after suffering cardiac arrest at the age of 80.

Obado's association with William Ruto dates back to his tenure at the Kenya Sugar Board when Ruto headed the Agriculture Ministry.

Over the years, he emerged as one of Ruto's key allies in Nyanza and actively supported UDA's expansion in the region ahead of the 2022 General Election.

Despite that loyalty, Obado did not secure a government appointment after Ruto became President. As his legal battles intensified, political observers increasingly described him as isolated from the country's mainstream political circles.

Obado's time as governor was repeatedly overshadowed by corruption allegations and investigations.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) accused him, members of his family and close associates of illegally acquiring hundreds of millions of shillings through fraudulent procurement deals linked to Migori County.

Different court cases cited varying amounts under investigation, ranging from KSh73.4 million to KSh505 million, while another unexplained wealth case placed the figure at approximately KSh1.9 billion.

As investigations progressed, courts froze several of his assets, including a house in Nairobi's Loresho Ridge, luxury vehicles, apartment blocks and commercial properties.

In 2025 and 2026, Obado entered into a plea agreement that saw him surrender assets valued at KSh235.6 million.

Among the forfeited properties were the Loresho residence, Sunrise Centre commercial building and several residential blocks.

Although the EACC initially challenged the settlement process, the agreement was eventually finalised and the corruption case against him was formally withdrawn in May 2026.

His administration also faced separate allegations involving the purchase of luxury furniture for his private residence using public funds and irregularities surrounding county ambulance procurement.

Obado is married to Hellen Odhiambo Obado, who generally stayed away from public life before briefly contesting the Migori Woman Representative seat as an independent candidate during the 2022 General Election.

The couple has several children, including Dan Okoth, Jerry Okoth, Susan Okoth and Evelyn Okoth.

Some of his children were named alongside him in corruption-related proceedings after investigators alleged that county funds had been transferred through companies and accounts associated with family members.

Obado has never publicly declared his personal wealth.

However, documents filed in court by the EACC and the Asset Recovery Agency indicate that assets linked to him, including high-value real estate in Nairobi and Migori, luxury vehicles and bank accounts, were at various times estimated to be worth between Sh400 million and Sh1billion.