Tears, praise and kind words for former chief whip Thuo on his last journey

President Uhuru Kenyatta signs the condolence book of the late former Juja MP George Thuo at Thika Sports Club in Kiambu County yesterday. [PHOTOS: PSCU/COURTESY]

By KAMAU MAICHUHIE

President Uhuru Kenyatta led top political leaders in the burial of former Juja MP George Thuo, who died under mysterious circumstances in a Thika social joint.

Grief engulfed Bendor Estate in Thika as mourners gave Thuo, who also served as a Chief Whip in the Grand Coalition Government, a fitting send-off. Mourners eulogised him as a gallant son of Kenya who possessed distinguished leadership and business skills.

Uhuru termed the late Thuo as “an honest and dependable friend”.

“He was a true friend who would always give me honest and candid advice. He was a person who offered solutions to problems facing his people. I have lost a true friend and a close one at that,” Uhuru said.

Retired President Mwai Kibaki, under whose administration Thuo served as Chief Whip, before he lost the parliamentary seat after a successful petition by the now Kiambu Governor William Kabogo, lauded Thuo for coming to his help when the former Head of State was involved in an accident in the campaigns to the 2002 elections.

Saved president’s life

Delivering her father’s condolences, Ms Judy Kibaki recounted how Thuo was the first person to arrive at the accident scene and how he saved the former president’s life by ensuring he was rushed to hospital for treatment.

“The late Thuo was the first person to arrive at the excavation where my father’s car had fallen.

When Thuo came he asked my father, “Chairman, are you okay?” to which he replied ‘No!’ Thuo then told the retired President to be calm to which he replied “I am calm all the time but just get me out of this wreck”. “He then removed him and helped look for a vehicle that transferred him to the Nairobi Hospital. That was Thuo for you,” Judy said.

Kiambu Governor William Kabogo and Thika town MP Alice Nga’nga’ termed the deceased as a focused leader who had impeccable leadership skills.

“He was my worthy competitor in politics. When he lost to me he called to congratulate me,” he said.

Mr Kabogo said though he was his political competitor, “Thuo was a mature leader whose main interest and love lay in the welfare of the people he represented.

Kiambu County is mourning the demise of a great leader and we pray that God rests his soul in eternal peace,” Kabogo said.

Both leaders have in the past faced Thuo in fight for Juja parliamentary seat. During the funeral it emerged Thuo was a fearless man who never shied from airing his honest opinion on a matter. A family member, a Mr Mwangi told the congregation how in 1991 when Thuo was working as a senior manager for the Stagecoach International stationed in Malawi, called State House Nairobi to speak to the former president to register his concern on the state of the nation during the clamour for multiparty democracy.

“Thuo came to the office one morning and told me he was going to call State House in order to speak with the former president to tell him to allow repeal of section 2A to usher in multipartyism. I tried to caution him but he would hear none of it.”

“He eventually called and though he did not get the president, someone from his office received his concerns and promised to convey them to his boss,” Mwangi said.