‘People’s Watchman’ takes the last bow

By BEAUTTAH OMANGA

Veteran politician Martin Shikuku is dead. Popularly known during hey days as a peoples’ watchman, Shikuku passed on Wednesday evening at Nairobi’s Texas Cancer hospital where he was undergoing treatment.

Confirming the death, his younger brother Lwali Oyondi said Shikuku passed on a poor man despite his crucial contribution to the country’s good governance and second liberation.

“My brother Martin has died a few minutes ago. It’s a major blow to me, to our family and Kenyans whom he fought for gallantly” said Dr Lwali Oyondi.

Dr Oyondi a former Nakuru MP said he had not only lost a brother but a political comrade and a friend

The former Butere MP was a known admirer of Raila Odinga and was part of the premier’s key campaigners. At many rallies Shikuku was always accorded an opportunity to address the crowds ahead of Raila’s speech.

Raila  declared that Shikuku being a veteran politician will have his hospital bills taken care of by the State.

Shikuku was born near Lake Magadi in Rift Valley Province, where his parents worked at the Magadi Soda Mining Company.

Youth leader

Shikuku attended Mumias Secondary School and St. Peters Seminary in Mukumu both in Western Province.   Shikuku ventured into politics in 1959 when he joined the Nairobi People’s Convention Party, and soon became its Secretary-General.

He later resigned from the party to join the Kenya African Democratic Union (Kadu) where he became its youth leader. His colleagues at Kaduincluded President Moi and Ronald Ngala. In 1963 Shikuku was elected MP for Butere. Shortly after, Shikuku together with his colleagues disbanded Kadu to join Kanu in a merger.

This was in the spirit of unity after Independence in 1963. Shikuku was victorious again in 1969 at the General Election and President Jomo Kenyatta appointed him Assistant Minister in the Office of the Vice-President and Home Affairs.

In a vintage Shikuku Parliamentary theatric, he sarcastically referred to the Kenyatta’s Kanu government as “dead”. When other Kanu Parliamentarians demanded that he substantiate his allegations, the then Deputy Speaker of the House and MP for Tinderet, the late Jean Marie Seroney defended Shikuku saying his remarks were self-explanatory and “he cannot substantiate the obvious.”

As expected, this incident got them in trouble. The two were picked up from the precincts of Parliament and later detained. Shikuku bounced back  and recaptured the Butere seat and  Moi appointed him Assistant Minister for Livestock Development.

Shikuku would re-emerge again in Kenya’s political limelight in the 1990’s with the clamour for Multi-Party Democracy in Kenya.

In the 1992 General Election, Shikuku and Matiba’s Ford-Asili put up a remarkable performance against Kanu, coming very close to dislodging Kanu from power. Shikuku will be buried in a grave which he dug himself and a coffin he bought.

And last evening President Kibaki mourned Shikuku as a politician well versed in parliamentary procedures. He said the late Shikuku was also very sensitive to the plight of the mwananchi. Vice-President Kalonzo musyoka described shikuku as a the “people’s watchman, defender of democratic ideals and a fearless crusader for fairplay.”

House Speaker Kenneth marende described him as a “true statesman who exemplified good leadership”.