In Mitty, we had a friend

KUPPET Secretary-General, Akelo Misori. [File, Standard]

It is with deep sorrow that I received the news of Shadrack Mitty’s death on Wednesday afternoon.

Mitty was such a fine man and journalist. While I was mainly a news source to him, our relationship was one of partnership and friendship. Listening to him always filled me with hope. Mitty not only knew that a better Kenya was possible, but he yearned and worked for it. He had reported on education matters for so long that he had become a walking encyclopedia of the people and issues in the sector.

Over the years, I learnt that Mitty was not only insanely conscientious, he was also modest to a fault. A bond had grown between us, giving him unhindered access to KUPPET.

All staff members at our head office knew Mitty personally. He is the only journalist I know who was in contact with KUPPET officials all over the country. Many were the times he interviewed me from home whenever the time was too short for an appointment at the office. Being the professional he was, he weighed the union’s perspectives against the best analysis from his other sources and gave justice to every story he covered.

Since he fell sick early in the month, I talked twice with him – both times getting the impression that he was well on the path to recovery. This Monday night, my personal assistant reached out to him to plan a visit by a small team from our office to share our well wishes. He assured us that he was recuperating well and would soon be back on his two feet. Little did we know that would be our last call with Mitty, and the meeting itself would never materialise. The next I heard were truly devastating words from our National Chairman; that Mitty was no more.

On behalf of KUPPET, I send our deepest condolences to Mitty’s family, relatives, friends and his colleagues at the Standard Media Group. While we will miss him, his memories will live with us forever.

The writer is the Secretary General of KUPPET