Keen: Former minister was a trusted comrade

By Lucianne Limo

Veteran politician John Keen has described the death of former Cabinet minister Njenga Karume as sad and too soon.

Keen said he visited the politician on Thursday at the Karen Hospital, Nairobi, hours before he died.

"He was admitted at the Intensive Care Unit and in a coma. It was unfortunate no one could speak to him during his last moments," Keen told The Standard On Saturday at his Karen home.

He said among those who were at the hospital were clergymen and family members.

Keen said Karume was taken to hospital on Sunday and was meant to be flown to Israel for further treatment on Monday.

"His death is big blow to me. I have known him for 55 years and he was a close friend," he added.

He said although Karume was ailing, he did not reckon he would pass on soon.

"I visited him three weeks ago at his home with my family. He looked frail," he said.

Keen described Karume as a man of substance, friendly, decisive and hardworking.

He said Karume was one of the few politicians who were never tainted with corruption.

Karume, Keen and President Kibaki were the founders of the Democratic Party in 1990.

"We decided to form DP when Section 2a of the Constitution was repealed," Keen recalled.