Nairobi first mayor Charles Rubia is dead

Nairobi's first African Mayor Charles Rubia is dead.

He died aged 96 at his Karen home in Nairobi.

Rubia was detained with the late Kenneth Matiba during the quest for multiparty democracy in the 1990s.

In 1963, he replaced Harold Travis the last European mayor of Nairobi.

Rubia later joined Parliament, where he rose to the cabinet.

In 1990, together with Matiba, Rubia led the calls for multi-party democracy and was subsequently detained.

He was released from detention after one year, and has been in poor health since.

He was an MP from Starehe Constituency in Nairobi from 1969 to 1988.

Together with Maina Wanjigi and Titus Mbathi, Rubia founded the Kenya National Congress  1992 after the  split in FORD-Asili

In July 2018, University of Murang'a announced it would be honouring the former Mayor with a Bachelor of letters for his good work.

He was an influential businessman with interests in tours and travel and education before some went south at the height of political detentions.

Charles Rubia Road in downtown Nairobi near Nyamakima is named after him.