Maverick Politician Martin Shikuku is Dead

'People's Watchman'

Second liberation hero and veteran politician Martin Shikuku died on Wednesday evening at the age of 79.

The former Member of Parliament for Butere was undergoing treatment for prostate cancer at the Texas Cancer centre in Hurlingham, Nairobi.

He coincidentally passed on the day, the first President of Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta died.

President Mwai Kibaki mourned his fellow Multi-Party crusader as a seasoned politician who was well versed in parliamentary procedure.   

Martin Shikuku’s Profile

Martin Shikuku Oyondi was born near Lake Magadi in the Rift Valley. He attended Mumias Secondary School and St. Peters Seminary in Mukumu, Western Kenya.

He got into politics in 1959, joining the Nairobi People’s Convention Party (NPR) later becoming its Secretary General.  After resigning from NPR he joined the Kenya African Democratic Union (KADU) where he lead the Youth Wing.

He also served in the Legislative Council and participated in the formulation of the old Constitution at Lancaster in the United Kingdom.  

In 1963, he was elected Member of Parliament for Butere Constituency and joined Kenya African National Union (KANU) after disbandment of KADU.

In 1969, he was reelected in the General Elections and President Jomo Kenyatta appointed him as an Assistant Minister in the Office of the Vice-President and Home Affairs.    

After satirically referring to Kenyatta’s KANU government as ‘dead’, he was arrested and detained without trial. Later to be released in 1978 after Moi became the president, allowing him to leave for Sweden for specialized treatment.

After his return, he recaptured his Butere seat in 1979 and was appointed as an Assistant Minister for Livestock Development in Moi’s government. In 1983, he regained his seat again in the general elections but lost in 1988.  

In the 90’s he joined the Multi-Party Democracy movement led by the likes of the late Jaramogi Odinga, Masinde Muliro and Phillip Gachoka. They later formed the Forum for the Restoration of Democracy (FORD).

After FORD’s disintegration he joined Kenneth Matiba to form Ford-Asili, recapturing his Butere seat in the 1992 general elections.

In 1997, he lost Butere seat formally retiring from politics.  

RIP