UPDATE Wednesday, April 29: President Uhuru Kenyatta sent a message of condolence to the family of the late politician Kimani Wanyoike who passed away in Nairobi.
The head of state mourned Wanyoike as a vibrant and fearless leader who spoke his mind at all times.
“Kimani Wanyoike was a brilliant and steadfast politician who never shied away from expressing his views on issues of national importance. He was a firm believer in social justice.
"We will forever remember Hon Wanyoike as a progressive politician who helped shepherd multi-party democracy in our country," noted Uhuru.
A former member of the National Assembly who also vied for the presidency has passed away.
Former South Kinangop MP Kimani Wanyoike died while receiving treatment at a Nairobi hospital.
The politician passed away on the morning of Wednesday, April 29, aged 85 years.
The deceased had been battling a long illness before his final bow.
It was not, however, clear what the politician had been suffering from at the time of publishing.
In 1997, he unsuccessfully vied for the presidential seat under the Ford-Kenya ticket and had been detained in the past political era.
He also served for many years as a trade unionist.
In 1996, the politician had a political tryst with Ken Matiba and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. The dalliance, however, died a natural death.
This comes roughly a week after a Mt Kenya politician, who was among the founders of President Uhuru Kenyatta's The National Alliance (TNA) Party, died suddenly after vomiting blood.
The former Kanu county treasurer Waweru Gachibiri died painfully after a day-long drinking spree.
He had complained of severe stomach pain and started vomiting blood and that was when he was taken to the Kerugoya Referral Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
