How Kiano pair touched lives at home

Care taker of Dr Julius Gikonyo Kiano family at the grave where the late was buried 15 years ago at Weithaga ACK church. [Boniface Gikandi, Standard]

In Gatang’ara village in Murang’a, villagers were Saturday coming to terms with cremation of women rights icon Jane Mumbi Kiano, who died on Thursday night.

But they were also confronting another immortal loss; the chance to bury the last of the famous Kiano pair who brought light and fame to their region - building schools, churches and other community facilities.

Dr Julius Kiano, Jane’s husband, died in 2003 and was buried at the compound of their local church Weithaga ACK Church. With Jane cremated away in Nairobi, not only are the two Kiano’s now separated in their resting places, but also none is buried in their ancestral home.

When the Sunday Standard visited their Gatang’ara home, caretakers of Kiano’scompound, Mr Jimna Kiragu and Peter Mwangi Nzioka where going about their daily chores.

Forlorn, the imposing stone house built by Kianois perhaps the only reminder of the illustrious pair who took the region by storm in their heydays.

Exquisite in design - complete with a waiting room - the six-bedroom house is bounded by tarmacked compound, a testament to the power the late Cabinet minister wielded. Yet for all its grandeur, the late minister never slept there for two decades leading to his death.

“The last time he slept in Gatang’ara was in 1979; after the election results indicated he was losing, he drove off to Nairobi. After that, he only used to visit and drive back to Nairobi,” said Kiragu.

Epic face-off

He was talking about the epic face-off between Kiano and Gidraf Kamau Mweru for the Kiharu parliamentary seat. He would be a regular visitor to the locality but would only pass by before driving off to Nairobi for the night.

Jane took cue even in her husband’s death.

According to the caretakers, the last time she visited her rural home was eight years ago when she had come for the burial of the late Cabinet Minister John Michuki in the nearby Kangema market.

Kiragu, a close ally to the family and former chief of Weithaga Location said, Mumbi during one of the anniversaries at the church, indicated her wish to be buried next to her husband when she dies.

“Every week she had to call seeking for updates on happenings in the village and entire Murang’a,” he said adding that Mumbi had a passion for Murang’a as she was a member of the Council of Eminent Persons.

Eunice Wanjama, a resident of Kahuti market said Kiano family has been of much assistance to the locals as they helped establish learning institutions.

“Mumbi Kiano Primary School, Kianderi Girls, Dr Kiano Boys and Weithaga Boys are some of the institutions that the family supported the residents to establish,” she said. 

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