A weakened and ailing Mzee Jomo Kenyatta struggled hours to his death at State House in Mombasa, recalls former State House press secretary Lee Njiru.
The country commemorated the octogenarian on Thursday, the 41st anniversary since his shocking death in August 1978 while in official trip to the coast.
But Njiru, who worked for both Kenyatta and Daniel Moi, revealed a decade ago that Mzee Kenyatta was subjected to neglect by his own aide.
In his explosive revelation in 2008, Njiru said Mzee Kenyatta collapsed in his State House toilet in Mombasa, a day to his death but the aides failed to cancel his itinerary.
“To start with, Mzee should not have been allowed to travel to Msambweni on August 21, 1978, to be subjected to the indignity of collapsing in a washroom.
"As a young information officer, I had been from 1977, assigned to cover all the official functions of Mzee.This critical day, he had lunch will all the Kenyan envoys abroad. This was at State House, Mombasa," he stated.
According to him, the following day Kenyatta went about his business, despite his failing health. He said that he speech was incoherent during the material day.
"I could see the concern of the envoys as Mzee’s speech was a worrying incoherent stutter.
"The then Minister of State in the Office of the President, Mr Peter Mbiyu Koinange, was at the high table. I cast a furtive glance at him to see his reaction and noticed he was not bothered," he added.
Kenyatta died peacefully in his sleep according to the state, with retired President Daniel Moi taking over for the next 24 years, which saw him being accused of violation of human rights.
On Thursday, President Uhuru Kenyatta, one of his sons, stopped future state commemorations of his father, saying that the family will celebrate him in their own way.