Khalwale's surprise advice to Moi after visiting Matiba's family

Former Kakamega Boni Khalwale has demanded a public apology transmitted live hours after the son to former President Daniel Moi visited to condole with the family.

Gideon Moi on Monday evening visited the Matiba family to condole with the family, amid rising concerns over the mistreatment the late received during Moi’s tenure of over 24 years.

Khalwale, in a tweet, which accompanied a photo of Senator Moi and Edith Matiba, the wife to the late, said that the condoling of Matibas family should be preceded with a public apology.

“Stranger than fiction! Moi’s son condoling with the Matibas! This should honestly have been preceded by a public apology by retired president Moi, transmitted live,” he tweeted.

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No hatred

A Joseph Lister Nyaringo, however, quipped that the late once in an interview in a local station maintained that he didn’t hate the former president.

“I listened to Matiba's interview on Capital Talk by Jeff Koinange, where Matiba vividly said that he doesn't hate Moi senior. In fact, the late said that if Moi walked into the room, he will usher him to a seat, go to history & ask him why he did what he did! Sad!” he said.

ALSO READ: Kenneth Matiba's wife makes rare confession during Raila's visit

Another twitter user, #Democrat, tweeted: “Look at the lady standing on the side...She seems ready to pull a Julius Malema speech... but death has a way of reconciling people. Brings friends and foe under same roof!”

Sour relationship

Former Cabinet Minister Kenneth Stanley Njindo Matiba is one of the Kenyans politicians who suffered most under President Daniel arap Moi’s regime.

Although Moi and Matiba had been great personal and family friends in the 1960s and 70s, the relationship between the two leaders took a dive during the struggle for multiparty democracy.

In a past interview with the nation, Kenneth’s wife, Edith Matiba noted that he did not have any bitterness for what President Moi had done to her husband.

In the emotional interview, Edith, however, stated that the only question that bothered her was why Moi had persecuted her husband.

Detention

She added that since Kenneth’s detention, she had only met the former President on two occasions and in very brief encounters that she did not get a chance to question him.

“I have no bitterness. But I keep on...(pauses and looks out to sea) asking ‘Why? Why did he do this? It’s a question I can’t answer. And I wish I have an opportunity to ask him. I have met him twice,” Edith narrated.

The late politician was detained by the Moi government over his push for multiparty politics.

While in state custody, Matiba suffered a stroke but was not allowed to get medical treatment for a whole week – thus deteriorating his health situation.

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