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Veteran Kenyan politician Kenneth Matiba is dead. Matiba, a former MP, Cabinet Minister, opposition leader, and former presidential candidate, died on Sunday while receiving treatment at Karen Hospital. The news was confirmed by his daughter Ivy Matiba.
He was 85 years old.
Matiba has been ailing for several years after he suffered a stroke while in political detention in 1991 and was denied access to medication for a week.
In 2015, the former Kiharu MP had been admitted to the intensive care unit at the Karen Hospital after he developed respiratory complications.
In December last year, President Kenyatta visited the former opposition leader after he was admitted at the Nairobi Hospital.
Matiba , who was born on June 1st, 1932, attended Alliance High School. He entered public service at the age of 31 when he became the first indigenous African Permanent Secretary for Education in May, 1963. He was then appointed Permanent Secretary (PS) for Commerce in 1964.
He was first elected to Parliament in 1983, representing Mbiri Constituency (later renamed Kiharu Constituency) from 1979 to 1990 and again from 1992 to 1997.
He also served as Cabinet Minister in various ministries during retired President Moi’s government; Minister for Transport and Communications, Minister for Health, and Minister for Culture and Social Services.
In 1990, he was held without trial at the Kamiti Maximum Security prison alongside Charles Rubia for his fight for multiparty politics. He suffered stroke while in detention and was refused medical treatment for a week. He would be dogged by ill health for the rest of his life as a result of this, and in 2017, a court ordered the government to pay him Sh504 million as restitution for the torture(READ: Kenneth Matiba Awarded Sh504 Million for Detention, Torture). His fight for multi-part democracy led to Matiba being heralded as the icon of second liberation.
In 1992, Kenneth Matiba ran for presidency under the FORD-Asili party ticket and came in second after Daniel wrap Moi.
Comments
RIP. How does Moi feels knowing he destroyed the life of Matiba
Very sad. All that suffering, the pain his family went through since 1991, and now this. I know Moi will have nightmares from now on until and after his burial. How can one man decimate and destroy one's life, his family's and think you are ok. Rest in peace Mr Matiba. You will remain my hero for the rest of my life.
YOU ARE THE MAN MR KENNETH MATIBA. YOU FOUGHT A HARD FOR US. MANY CORRUPT PEOPLE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF YOUR HARD FOUGHT BATTLE TO LIBERATE US.TODAY YOU STAND ALONE AS A MAN. A MAN WHO FOUGHT CORRUPTION AND MOST OF ALL, A MAN WHO FOUGHT FOR EQUALITY AND JUSTICE JUST LIKE NELSON MANDELA.YOU BOTH ARE RARE SPECIES. YOU CONSTANTLY GOT IN TOUCH WITH MY FATHER MR.MUGWEH WHO WAS YOUR CLASSMATE IN KAHUHIA. I RESPECT YOU THAT AS A LEADER AND I RESPECT YOU EVEN MORE FOR LIBERATING US. WHENEVER I THINK, I KNOW WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE DONE TO KENYA. WE WOULD BE HIGH UP ON THE LIST COS YOU MEANT WHAT YOU SAID.
Great man. Good man. Admired his bravery, resilience, determination, his dream for Kenya, for us. Somebody who sacrificed it all, his life, his family and his robust businesses, just to be what we are today. A ONLY man who scared the hell out of Moi and his KANu thieves. While most of today's looters had it easy, call them joy-riders, Mzee Matiba strove to correct the mess in Moi's and his henchmen, who plundered the country and state corporations with impunity. The Kalenjins saturated and destroyed state corporations such as Kenya Post and Telecommucation, KFA, KGGCU, ADC, Kenya army, KPLC, and other state corporations between 1978-1992. KANU thieves went on a land-grabbing spree,and all this didn't go well with Mr Matiba. They are now saturating Kengen and Kenya Pipeline which may go down by 2022. Mr Matiba was our only hope to stop this menace. But they had to look for a way stop him. Rest well my hero, and may all those who made you suffer until your death have their children and their generation go through what Mrs Matiba and family have gone through. I will always keep your heroism and sacrifice somewhere deep in my heart. Amen.
Sad day for Kenya/family.I am glad that my first vote for president was to you- I have no regret.I am saddened that today people will listen to useless clowns like kalonzo/MDVD and the foul mouth muthamas as "heroes of opposition" while they cheered as Matiba took the bullet for what they enjoy today.They benefited then and do so today by conning their ways in politics.I am proud too that as his supporters we were realistic to note that our hero hard been hit and rather than be suicidal and die protesting "haki yetu" moved on and assigned the job to other leaders.That is mature politics.Those faulting H.E Moi have lost the moral ground.Looking back Moi took very difficult decisions that then looked hash/brutal but may have saved lives in hundreds- 2007/8 bares him out.We almost went there last year thanks to the insane maragas of Kenya and entitled politicians who think we owe them.I am glad that President Moi is alive and will have time to reflect- he did his best to hold a young nation and if he did anything personal and not in he interest of the state God will be the judge.RIP Matiba- your walk comes to an end but the trail you leave is bright and shining for all to follow.We put our faith/hope in you now your faith will guide you for where you go you are welcome.Fare thee well my dear friend.
R.I.P Kenneth Matiba.
Uhuru Kenyatta should stop his hypocrisy.
Stop HYPOCRISY Jubilee supporters ,we know you support Dictatorship.Sell-outs.
Poleni kwa waliofiwa.
iPhone4G,
You need to stop your hypocrisy you douchebag and stop blaming all your failures on Jubilee.
Shindwe
Rip Ken. bythe way Matiba and Rubia were the Heroes of liberation. Not Rao.
Rest Easy, Great Hero! May your soul Rest in Eternal Peace!