In summary
-Dr Austin Omondi has been vocal on mental health advocacy and was pivotal in mobilising young medics to provide free medical services to injured protesters during the 2024 finance bill riots.
Dr Austin Omondi popularly known as Japrado is a young doctor who is building a strong legacy. He is the founder for Medics for Kenya and was feted among the top 100 Kenyans in 2024. He was also honoured as the Star person of the year 2024.
Here is his brief biography as told by WoK:
Education
Omondi sat for his KCPE at High Gate Academy, Mombasa in 2008 and scored an impressive 422 marks. This remarkable achievement earned him a slot at Alliance High School.
According to him, being at Alliance was an inspiration especially figuring out the successful people who had already gone through this iconic institution. He scored an A in KCSE and pursued an undergraduate degree in Medicine and Surgery.
Humanitarian role and abduction
After 6 years in medical school, Omondi proceeded for a one year internship. During this period, he made headlines when he mobilised young medics to provide free medical services to injured demonstrators during the deadly 2024 Gen Z riots. As the founder for Medics for Kenya, Omondi has seen the group conduct medical camps and blood donation drives among other volunteering services.
During the riots, he brought together at least 100 medics who made a makeshift clinic at Jamia Mosque where they did triaging, first aid and referrals to protesters who had been injured.
However, Omondi’s role is alleged to have been the reason behind his abduction in June 2024. He was abducted by unknown persons at Sikh Union. At the time, Omondi was conducting a blood donation drive.
“I was this afternoon abducted by the Police incommunicado while conducting a blood donation drive at the Sikh Union,” he posted on X.
The matter led to uproar on social media with officials from KMPDU, LSK and KMA pushing for his release. The doctors’ union even threatened a strike. He was eventually released.