Kenneth Matiba was a prisoner of conscience

Kenneth Matiba [Photo: Courtesy]

Ken Matiba died last week. The legacy associated with his life as a businessperson, government minister and political detainee has dramatically expanded with his passing. His contribution and sacrifice has earned a chapter in our national history. He also leaves us a few lessons in public service.

A year ago, I wrote that leaders cannot be separated from the context of their time. Kenya was its darkest in the 1980s and 1990s. The state was incapable of protecting public resources. The Presidency operated with neither public or legal accountability. The Judiciary cannibalised laws at the whim of the Executive. Most State Officers are tainted by their silence or complicity with human rights abuses. Hundreds chose not to confront the violence, suffering and destruction that came with the one-party system. Dissent and acting in the public interest therefore was a dangerous path. Only the few that stood up against this tyranny will be absolved by this history. The family of Matiba can be proud today that he will be remembered as one of them. The preparations for a state funeral are remarkable given his history. Matiba had been a guest of the state before. The last time, it almost killed him in 1991. Digging into Amnesty International’s (AI) archives, it is possible to recreate what it was like for him and other prisoners of conscience.