Karume death marks end of era for Central Kenya

By Gakuu Mathenge

Former Cabinet minister Njenga Karume died in his sleep in the small hours of Friday, days after his health took a sudden turn for the worse.

The 83-year-old self-made billionaire had been battling prostate cancer. Last Sunday, he was admitted at the Karen Hospital, Nairobi, as plans to move him to Israel were made. But sometime after 2am Friday, the former minister was declared dead by doctors as the hospital.

On learning of his passing, Grace Njoki, his third wife, went into shock and had to be rushed to a city hospital.

Njenga Karume’s widow Grace (centre) grieves at Lee Funeral Home, Friday. [PHOTOS: JOHN MUCHUCHA and MOSES OMUSULA]

Karume’s passing – like that of 80-year-old Cabinet minister John Michuki days earlier – marks the end of a golden era for the central Kenya political elite.

He is remembered as a shrewd businessman and an astute political player who carved a niche for himself under Kenya’s three presidents.

News of his death has been greeted with a wave of sympathy for his family and praise for his achievements as a business magnate.

President Kibaki, his predecessor Daniel arap Moi, PM Raila Odinga, VP Kalonzo Musyoka and Deputy PM Uhuru Kenyatta were among those who sent messages of condolence to the Karume family. Moi spoke of Karume as a personal friend whose down-to-earth manner endeared him to many.

High social status

"Despite Karume’s immense wealth and high social status, he remained humble affable and generous," the former president said. "He was always in touch with ordinary people."

Raila praised Karume as a true example of what the country can attain through sheer determination. Gichugu MP Martha Karua described Karume, whose defeat in Kiambaa constituency she fought for as Central Kenya pushed for a generational change in 2007, as "a man of unparalleled generosity and a friend and mentor to many."

Born on a British settler’s plantation in colonial Kenya in 1929, James Njenga Karume hacked his way through life as a charcoal burner, trader, transporter, beer distributor, politician and finally Cabinet minister.

In Kiambu alone, the shrewd operator out-smarted or out-lasted better educatedindividuals from academia and Government to remain close to three presidents and at the heart of Kenya’s top business circles.

Karume rarely knew a dull moment, finding ways to propel himself to the heart of Central Kenya’s political high table. He did this as a wealthy businessman, a Kikuyu cultural leader and a well-connected political player.

Shunted aside

His life story was recently captured in an authorized biography published three years ago.

Despite being shunted aside as Central Kenya turned to younger leadership in 2007, he and others of his generation, Michuki included, were keen to shape the outcome of the 2012 General Election.

Just before he fell ill, Karume was an active political player, reaching out to presidential aspirants like PM Raila Odinga as the controversially appointed Gema chairman and Central Kenya ‘spokesman’.

He stoked a major storm by gathering cultural leaders from across Kenyan communities at Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga, the historic Agikuyu cultural shrine in Murang’a, to witness his installation as a ‘supreme elder’.

Aides say Karume intended to use the event to kick off reconciliation between different communities to promote healing reconciliation and peace.

Other presidential hopefuls who have sought out Karume for his perceived clout in Kiambu and the larger Central Kenya region include Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka and Internal Security Minister George Saitoti.

Raila, Saitoti and Kalonzo reached out to Karume in the hope he could confer goodwill in a region perceived to be largely behind Deputy PM Uhuru Kenyatta.

In the wake of the 2008 post-election violence, Karume was concerned about national unity, healing and reconciliation, and was preparing to use his Gema outfit to play a role as a mediator between communities.

"He has been talking at length about how united Kenyans were before and just after Independence and wished such unity could prevail during this transition period," Mr Ngunjiri Wambugu, the convenor of Kikuyus for Change said yesterday. "He was genuinely concerned about the polarisation of society and his dalliances with the PM were part of this."

Central unity

The interest in unity and safeguarding the future of Central Kenya may have been informed the former minister’s recollections of his past mistakes.

In 1976, he was part of the unsuccessful ‘Change the Constitution Movement’ that tried to block then Vice-President Daniel arap Moi from succeeding President Kenyatta.

Karume’s political instincts led him to make decisions that have been described as opportunistic by his critics and pragmatic by his admirers.

At other times, the decisions came down to a private understanding of personal loyalty. In 2002, he had no qualms abandoning Narc’s presidential candidate, Mwai Kibaki, a long-time ally with whom he co-founded Democratic Party, to back Kanu’s Uhuru Kenyatta, on account of what he called ‘loyalty’ to the Kenyatta family.

Despite this, and to bridge the Kiambu-Nyeri divide, Kibaki later appointed Karume to the Cabinet as Special Programmes and later Defence Minister.

Karume was married to three women, his first love, Maryanne Wariara in 1959, and second wife Margaret Njeri in the early 60s. After both died, he married a third wife, Grace Njoki, in 2006.

His body has been moved to the Lee Funeral Home.

—Additional reporting by Athman Amran, Cyrus Ombati