Kenya: Charles Njonjo Dies Aged 101

Nairobi — Sir Charles Mugane Njonjo is dead. Njonjo died on Sunday morning aged 101.

He was the only surviving member of the independence Cabinet of founding President Jomo Kenyatta.

In his message of condolence to the family, President Uhuru Kenyatta described him as a “selfless leader” who contributed immensely to Kenya’s independence, helping to shape its destiny.

Njonjo, popularly known as the Duke of Kabeteshire, passed away peacefully at 5am on Sunday, according to his family.

“The passing away of Hon. Njonjo is a big blow not only to his immediate family, friends and relatives but to all Kenyans and indeed, the entire African continent because of his leading role in the founding of the Kenyan nation at independence,” President Kenyatta said in a dispatch from State House.

As a nation, the president said “we owe a debt of gratitude to Hon. Njonjo and his generation of independence era leaders for their selfless contribution to the laying of the solid foundation upon which our country continues to thrive.”

He said Kenya’s progressive constitutional and legal regime owes its robustness to Njonjo’s splendid work when he served as the country’s first post-independence Attorney General between 1963 and 1979, and as Constitutional Affairs Minister between 1980 and 1983.