Thomas Joseph Odhiambo Mboya (15 August 1930 – 5 July 1969) was a towering figure in Kenya's struggle for independence and early post-colonial government. A charismatic trade union leader, he founded the Kenya Federation of Labour (KFL). As a politician, he founded the Nairobi People's Congress Party, was a key architect of the Kenya African National Union (KANU), and served as Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, playing a crucial role in drafting Kenya's first constitution. Later, as Minister for Economic Planning, he authored the influential Sessional Paper No. 10 of 1965. His "Airlift Africa" project enabled hundreds of students, including Barack Obama Sr., to study in North America. His assassination in 1969 remains a pivotal and tragic event in Kenyan history.