CORD Leader Prime Minister Raila Odinga is in Mt Kenya, the political backyard of Uhuru Kenyatta to attend the funeral of former Anglican Bishop and second liberation fighter, the Rev David Gitari. The service is scheduled for Kerugoya Stadium. The CORD leader will be accompanied by a host of legislators from the CORD coalition and local leaders.
During the service, Odinga will bereave the family of the fallen cleric, including President Uhuru Kenyatta’s diaspora blogger, Dennis Itumbi. Just recently, the former premier had lashed out at the government for exposing the young Itumbi to dirty international politics where educated Kenyans would bully him, but Itumbi failed to see he was being protected. To date, little is known of his diaspora achievements so far, rumour has it that the Hague based Deputy President may assume some of the practical responsibilities since he is now a diaspora resident in the Hague Netherlands.
But this is not a story about Itumbi; this a story about two former comrades; one dead, the other other out of power locally but with International Power. This is a sad story where we condole the family of Rev Gitari but on the other hand celebrate his contribution to the expansion of the democratisation space in Kenya, and an end to a one party tyranny.
Prime Minister Odinga is a baptized Anglican, the church where Gitari served.
It is not clear whether the President, or Former president Mwai Kibaki, will attend.
More details later.