Ntai wa Nkuraru: Tribute to one of many forgotten Kenyan heroes

By Kilemi Mwiria

A few Kenyan friends of the late Ntai wa Nkuraru just concluded a weekend memorial and fund raising to support his family. Ntai died in London in 1999 under mysterious circumstances after venturing into the miraa trade.

The memorial was about the mystery of his death, his nationalistic values and a reminder of how badly we treat our true heroes and heroines.

Ntai started politics as a Kenyatta University leader of great charisma and simplicity. His nationalist orientation got him to cement a strong bond with other youthful nationalist university student leaders: Janet Kanja, Njoroge Waithera, Kepta Ombati, and Odhiambo Oyoko (Kenyatta University); Otsieno Namwaya (Jomo Kenyatta); Janai Orina and Nanjakululu (Moi University); George Morara, Suba Churchil and Cecily Mbarire (Egerton); Solomon Muruli and James Nduko (University of Nairobi).

After university, he joined the youth wing of the Forum for the Restoration of Democracy (Ford), the mother of Kenya’s second liberation. True to his nationalist philosophy, he refused to join the Democratic Party of Kenya (the party of his Meru region) when Ford split. Instead, with other nationalists of the time (Paul Muite, Wachira Maina, Maina Kiai, Wanjiku Kabira, Maoka Maore, Adelina Mwau, and Farah Maalim) they founded Mwangaza Trust where he was the head of secretariat.

Mwangaza transformed into Safina. Ntai was part of the less moneyed but most outspoken and controversial youth wing of Safina that complemented party heavyweights Paul Muite, Richard Leakey, Robert Shaw, Muturi Kigano, Khelef Khalifa and Njeri Kabeberi. Others were former University of Nairobi student leader Kabando wa Kabando and former student leader and ex-detainee Wafula Buke, Otieno Aluoka, Justus Mochoge, Kamau Ngugi, Mwangi Njagi and Waikwa Wanyoike. The group spent much time at police cells and the courts as the police trailed them and violently disrupted their political events.

His attempts for a parliamentary seat did not materialise because he was not monied, although he gave more monied candidates a run for their money. Like many nationalists before him, he died poor and his family was taunted for living in misery with such a celebrated son. He will be remembered for his big heart, big mind, big laugh, big beard and commitment to justice that transcended the political, ethnic, class, ideological and religious divides. This is why President Kibaki and Prime Minster Raila Odinga were at his funeral, as were many other politicians who made pledges to support his family; promises which are yet to be honoured.

Ntai’s death and that of many others like him (Titus Andungosi after the 1982 coup attempt) are good reason for reflection by our youth. Why should they continue to support monied candidates who have no affinity to their problems and who forget them immediately they are in power? What can they do to relive the nationalist experience of Ntai and his youthful nationalists of the 1990s? Those who cared about Ntai and other departed nationalists should be at the forefront in seeking support for families of Kenya’s heroes and heroines who die poor.

That large cast of nationalists that worked with him in the 1990s should reflect on why they have nothing holding them together anymore, including the nationalism they so much advocated; that is if they still care.

The writer is MP for Tigania West and Assistant Minister, Ministry for Higher Education, Science and Technology