Johansen Oduor: Former Rapper Who’s the Chief Government Pathologist

Johansen Oduor, Kenya's Chief Government Pathologist is always a familiar face on local television stations especially after murder cases emerge in the country. 

Being the chief government pathologist, he handles autopsies and issues reports on the causes of death for the affected victims. 

Over the past few years, Oduor's name has featured prominently in the media owing to the rising cases of femicide and controversial murders in the country. 

While many know him due to his current role, not many know that he was once a rapper.

Speaking during an interview with NTV Kenya, Oduor divulged that he has a deep love for music, adding that during his campus days, he was a rapper.

"When I was in campus, I was a rapper. I went by the name Mr Bombastic," he said while recalling his time at the University of Nairobi School of Medicine.

Opening up on his early life, Oduor noted that he was born in Pumwani Hospital and raised in the Eastlands of Nairobi, which he says prompted him to be a doctor.

"The reason I chose to be a doctor is growing up in Eastlands there are a lot of shortages and challenges in healthcare centers. I decided to help the community by being a doctor," he divulged.

Explaining how he got into pathology, Oduor noted that he had no interest in the field, but to his surprise, the Ministry of Health posted him to a mortuary in the city.

He almost quit on his first day at work but decided to stay put in a bid to help less fortunate persons in society who needed pathological assistance.

"I looked at the people who were coming to the mortuary were people from Kibera, Mathare places I grew up in. So I thought if I don't help these people who will?” he posed.

File image of Johansen Oduor at a media briefing. [Photo:Courtesy]

His excellent work saw him grow in rank to the position of Chief government pathologist.

Having served in the position for several years, Oduor divulged that the Rita Waeni case; lady who was murdered at an apartment in Roysambu was one of the most difficult he's ever dealt with.

He also noted that the Shakahola deaths were tough as he and his team had to pitch tent in the area for quite sometime.

Despite having been around dead bodies for years, Oduor divulged that like every other person, he too fears death, arguing that no one knows what happens on the other side.

In his free time, he reads a lot of books and watches movies.