Nicholas Biwott, who died today at 77, was a real Total Man

The 77-year-old veteran politician, who was affectionately known as Total Man, died today at a Nairobi hospital. He was said to have been battling cancer and has been previously come out to deny reports on social media that he had succumbed to the illness.

The former Keiyo South MP was an influential figure under the Moi government earning him the name “total man. In 2014, he threatened to sue those spreading the rumours on social media.

The politician served under Kenya’s first three presidents in various top government posts. Until his death, he was the leader of National Vision Party, but ill health saw him take a back seat in the country’s politics in the last few years. He served as MP for 28 years.

His personal assistant William Chebukut confirmed his demise.

His cousin, Mark Chirchir told Capital FM News that Biwott woke up well in morning before he started feeling unwell at about 9am.

“He was rushed to the Nairobi Hospital but by 9.30am he was dead.”

Biwott recently declared that his party would support the re-election of President Uhuru Kenyatta.

He was born in Chebior Village, Keiyo District, Rift Valley Province in 1940.

Biwott was a Member of Parliament for 28 years, having been first elected in 1974 as the MP for the Keiyo South Constituency until December 2007, when he lost his seat to Jackson Kiptanui arap Kamai of the Orange Democratic Party.

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Following his election in the 1979, Biwott served as a Minister of State (1979-1982) with responsibility for Science and Technology, Cabinet Affairs, Land settlement and Immigration.

Biwott’s last cabinet appointment before Kanu exited power was in May 2001, where he was appointed as the Minister of Trade and Industry and East African Tourism (2001-2002).

The former Cabinet Minister and businessman was embroiled in several controversies. Biwott was named by Scotland Yard detective John Troon as a person of interest in the 1990 murder of Foreign Affairs Minister Robert Ouko.

Ten government officials, including Biwott, were held in police custody for questioning for two weeks in November 1991 but a Kenyan police investigation concluded that there was no evidence to support the allegations that Biwott was involved in the disappearance and subsequent death of the late Ouko.

[crp]