Cancer strikes again, Veteran politician Martin Shikuku dies in Nairobi.

By Isaack Naykundi, Nairobi

Kenya’s independence icon and long serving politician Martin Shikuku has died,

The former Butere MP is the latest of prominent personalities that have succumbed to cancer in a span of two years. He died Wednesday evening at Texas Cancer Centre, Nairobi.

The late Shikuku was a pro poor -populist leader both in and outside parliament, often referred himself as the people’s watchman.

Hon Shikuku was among the independence heroes that negotiated Kenya’s first constitution at the Lancaster House conferences meetings of 1960, 1962 and 1963 in United Kingdom. He was first elected to Parliament in 1963.
Shikuku attended Mumias Secondary School and St. Peters Seminary in Mukumu both in Western Province.

After the 1969 general elections, he was appointed Assistant Minister in the Office of the Vice-President and Home Affairs by the late President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta.

Under President Moi, the late Shikuku was appointed Assistant Minister for Livestock Development soon after winning the 1979 elections. He won in the 1983 general elections but he lost in 1988.

He was in the fore front in the struggle for the second liberation (Multi party) in1990; he recaptured his Butere seat in 1992 on FORD Asili Party.

The late Shikuku teamed up with Raila Odinga and other leading politicians in defeating the constitution referendum of 2005, he resurfaced albeit briefly in the 2010 “YES” referendum campaign.

He leaves behind a consistent pro-mwanainchi legacy that very few in Kenya political scene can match.