Mwakenya founder Cyrus Muraguri passes on after long illness

A portrait of the late Cyrus Muraguri Gitari who is among those detained without trial and tortured at the infamous Nyayo House torture chambers during the clamor for multiparty democracy.

KIRINYAGA COUNTY: One of the first men to be linked to the underground Mwakenya organisation of the 1980s during the single political party era, Cyrus Muraguri Gitari, has passed on.

Muraguri, 79 died at the Kenyatta National Hospital where he had been admitted for a long time. Gitari was incarcerated at the infamous Nyayo House torture chambers for his involvement in Mwakenya in the 80s.

Gitari who is also a businessman in Nairobi first came into the public limelight in 1969 when he contested for the then larger Ndia parliamentary seat, but lost to James Njiru.

He again tried for the same seat in 1974 and lost again to Njiru resulting to a political rivalry between the two.

His health began to deteriorate after his release from detention, resulting to a collapse of his business.

“On several occasions I paid his house rent in Nairobi and provided him with basic needs after his once vibrant business went under after he was detained without undergoing trial, “ said Reverend David Gathaka, the Executive Director of the Ecumenical Centre for Justice and Peace .

Gitari made history when he successfully represented himself at the High Court in Nairobi during the hearing of a civil case where he sued the Government for illegal arrest and detention without trial.

The court awarded him Sh8 million compensation to the disbelief of lawyers who sought to represent him over the matter but whose approach, he had turned down. By the time of being taken ill, the Government had released partial payment of the compensation, according to his kin.

During his funeral at his Kianjege West village in Ndia constituency, leaders from Kirinyaga County called for the recognition of all people who were involved in the fight for multiparty democracy.

Led by Kirinyaga Senator Daniel Karaba, the leaders said it is unfortunate that those who sacrificed themselves in the fight for multiparty democracy were never appreciated.

Karaba said Gitari’s family members who also suffered during his absence as the family head should be compensated.

“Once a suspected Mwakenya was arrested his family was left languishing in abject poverty besides being subjected to social stigmatisation,” Karaba said.