Samuel Kivuitu: The man who was at the centre of Kenya’s darkest hour

Samuel Mutua Kivuitu

• Kivuitu replaced Zacchaeus Chesoni to head the Commission that oversaw the 1997 elections, the 2005 Constitutional Referendum and the infamous 2007 General Election
• Kivuitu was on 2007 blamed for bungling the election for his nonchalant disposition and reckless utterances

He bust into national limelight as the defence lawyer for a fire-spitting MP accused of attempting to overthrow the government of Mzee Jomo Kenyatta on April 8, 1971.

Samuel Mutua Kivuitu, then a dashing lawyer and MP for Parklands (now Westlands), represented Yatta MP Gideon Mutiso who pleaded guilty before acting senior resident magistrate, SK Sachdeva, after one day of hearing.