There will be no politics during the late lawyer Nzamba Kitonga’s funeral, a joint committee comprising the family and government officials announced yesterday.
Consensus was reached during the first meeting between Attorney General Kihara Kariuki, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i and the late lawyer’s son Ivia Kitonga.
“To fulfill the family’s wish that the memory of the late lawyer is neither sullied nor used for political mileage, the team has begun working towards, according to him, a befitting send-off,” the statement from the Ministry of Interior said.
The government took over the burial arrangements on Saturday to accord him a state funeral.
Matiang’i in a statement said the late Kitonga was widely recognised, as one of the most resourceful members of the bar hence deserves a befitting send-off.
“He will be remembered most for his immense contribution to the drafting of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010,” the statement read.
The joint committee comprising government officials and the family of the deceased held the first meeting on Saturday following President Uhuru Kenyatta’s directive State takes over the funeral arrangements.
During the meeting, the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) was represented CEO Mercy Wambua and Senior Counsels Dr Fred Ojiambo and Philip Murgor.
The move by the government to take over Kitonga’s burial arrangements comes a few days after the LSK wrote to the AG for the government to accord the deceased a State funeral.
In the letter dated October 28, LSK President Nelson Havi noted that Kitonga played a critical role in the drafting of Kenya’s 2010 Constitution and as such, he ought to be given a befitting send-off.
“I have received requests from members of the Law Society of Kenya to plead with you to confer with the President of the Republic of Kenya on the possibility of honouring Nzamba Kitonga SC with a State funeral,” said Havi.
Reacting to the announcement, Havi commended the government for fulfilling their request.
“The Government of the Republic of Kenya has acceded to our request to give Nzamba Kitonga SC a State funeral.
On behalf of the Law Society of Kenya, we say thank you President Uhuru Kenyatta,” he tweeted.
The veteran lawyer unsuccessfully sought the seat of Chief Justice of Kenya in 2012.
Kitonga also made his first attempt into elective politics in 2013 when he vied for the Kitui gubernatorial seat but lost to Julius Malombe.
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