Mzee Jomo Kenyatta's deteriorating health condition in his later years was an open secret despite his valiant efforts to keep it under wraps.
In Walking In Kenyatta Struggles, My Story, former Central Bank of Kenya governor, Duncan Ndegwa, disclosed that Kenya's first president had occasional blackouts with some carrying on for long periods during his last months
On one occasion, Mzee Jomo reportedly fell into a 3-day coma while at his Mombasa Tiririka Residence where he was pushed to host state meetings against his doctor's orders.
The former Jomo Kenyatta Presidential press unit information officer, Lee Njiru, while speaking to the Standard made a statement when he stated that it was Mzee Jomo's closest confidants Mbiyu Koinange, Eliud Mahihu and then State House Comptroller, Alexander Gitau were responsible for his death.
During his coma, Njiru revealed that the three were the least bit concerned but allegedly busy splitting up whatever the soon to be dead president would live behind.
This was despite the fact the that the three closest friends to the president were reportedly the ones who reportedly pushed him to travel to Msambweni on August 21, 1978, despite having knowledge of just how dire medical condition had become.
"This critical day, he had lunch will all the Kenyan envoys abroad. This was at State House, Mombasa. I could see the concern of the envoys as Mzee’s speech was a worrying incoherent stutter," Njiru narrated.
At this point, it was just a matter of days before one of the founding fathers of the nations would inevitably meet his end as he struggled to carry out everyday tasks such as walking without occasional blackouts.
It was during this period that he fell into the aforementioned coma and on waking up after 3 sorrowful days for his family and his nation as a whole, he was asked what he saw during his 3 days out into the unknown.
His response was rather cryptic as he disclosed that he had travelled to Weru wa Mukaaga, loosely translating to an expansive plain where he was all alone.
Njiru believed this to be a clear portrayal of how Mzee's so-called close allies had left him all alone the moment his health failed him.
The former press unit information officer maintained his view that had Koinange, Mahihu or Gitau would cancelled the Msambweni function, Kenyatta’s life would have been saved or at least prolonged.
