Mboya murder cast shadow across the nation

Following are excerpts from Simeon Nyachae’s autobiography Walking Through the Corridors of Service in which he captures the tense moments after the death of Tom Mboya

One of the most significant and tragic events in Kenya’s history was the assassination of Tom Joseph Mboya. I was still the Rift Valley PC when this happened. Mboya’s death took Kenyans by surprise. It shocked many.

Mourners carry Tom Mboya’s casket.

We managed to cross the town without a major incident. Unfortunately, when we started climbing the Mau Summit area, the vehicle carrying the body overheated. We sent for a mechanic from Nakuru. However, when we drew water from the radiator and replaced it, the vehicle restarted and we moved on without trouble. We travelled and handed over the body to Murgor, PC Nyanza, and his team at Awasi.

The body had to go through Kisumu where there was a lot of trouble and the GSU had to shoot in the air to quell riots.

Similar chaos greeted the arrival of the body at Homa Bay. The body was kept at the Catholic Church overnight. I had that time returned to Nakuru.

The same night, I received instructions from the Office of the President to travel to Rusinga and attend the funeral as one of the Government representatives. No further instructions or explanations were given to me.
I travelled to Nyanza and we took the body from Homa Bay to Mbita Point.

The lake was rough as we were crossing to Rusinga Island and so the boat ride was very uncomfortable. The body had to stay overnight.The following morning, in accordance with tradition, grave diggers commenced.

As it neared completion, water started bubbling. A lot of time was spent getting cement from Homa Bay to mix with sand in order to seal the water source before the burial took place. The Catholic Church conducted the final burial rites. It was extremely saddening and heart breaking to see Mboya’s widow and family members totally broken as they watched the body being lowered into its final
resting place.