Edith Matiba, the widow to the second liberation hero the late Kenneth Matiba on Tuesday made a rare confession about her husband during the visit by Nasa leader Raila Odinga.
Edith told mourners at her home that she failed to communicate to the public about the sickness of the deceased, even as Mr Matiba was in hospital for 29 weeks.
“Ken [Kenneth Matiba] suffered for a long time. And I didn’t communicate to the people that he was in hospital. He was in hospital for 29 weeks,” said Edith when she spoke at her home in Limuru, where Deputy President William Ruto and Odinga had gone to condole with her.
The confession by Mrs Matiba comes on the heal of a plea from the former Prime Minister, who requested , the Kenyatta led administration to take care of the family of the late.
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Making reference to the recent court ruling in which Mr Matiba was awarded Sh971 million as compensation for the wrongful detention, Mr Odinga also demanded a speedy pay out to the family, a move that had earlier been applauded by National Assembly Majority leader Aden Duale.
“State should honour Matiba not just by burying him but also paying all that was due to him so that the family he leaves behind can know he did not fight in vain,” Odinga said.
Describing Matiba as one of the greatest Kenyans to have crossed into the 21st century Odinga said his life and death revives the need for national conversation on the country's past.
“Matiba's life reinforces the need for the country to have a conversation on its past and chart a new path to the future,” he said.
DP Ruto and the opposition leader on Tuesday led top government officials including Cabinet Secretaries Amina Mohamed, Sicily Kariuki, Eugene Wamalwa, Charles Keter, Rachael Omamo and Aden Mohammed to the ex-minister’s home in Riara Ridge, Limuru.
Cabinet Secretaries Keriako Tobiko, James Macharia, Mwangi Kiunjuri, Margaret Kobia and Joe Mucheru were also present.
Mr Ruto and Mr Odinga have described Mr Matiba as a selfless leader who sacrificed a lot for the country. Mr Odinga was accompanied by his wife Ida.
Meanwhile, Deputy President William Ruto pledged to weed out ethnic based politics in future elections after a plea from a Charles Rubia, a close friend of the later Matiba and Raila Odinga.
“I want to commit to you as I do to the rest, that those of us in our generation will work overtime to ensure that our politics is de-ethicized,” the DP told mourners.