President Uhuru visits multiparty crusader Matiba in hospital

President Uhuru Kenyatta visiting second liberation icon Kenneth Matiba in hospital (Photo: Courtesy)

President Uhuru Kenyatta has visited former opposition leader and Presidential candidate Kenneth Matiba at Nairobi Hospital.

“Visited my friend Kenneth Matiba, former Minister, who is convalescencing at a Nairobi hospital.” President Uhuru posted on twitter.

Veteran politician Matiba, 85, has been ailing for years since he suffered a stroke while in political detention in May 26, 1991 and was denied access to medication for a week.

In 2015, he was admitted to the intensive care unit at Karen Hospital when he developed respiratory complications.

When he sued the state, Matiba would tell a court how he was kept in solitary confinement for five months where he his family was never allowed to visit. He would further testify on the plots to kill him by food poising.

In a landmark ruling in August 2017, Matiba was awarded Sh504 million as compensation for the torture in the hand of the state.

The former Kiharu Member of Parliament and second liberation icon unsuccessfully viewed for the presidency; coming second to Daniel Moi in the 1992 elections and was placed seventh in the December 2007 elections.