Condolences have started pouring in following the death of prominent human rights activist Ken Wafula at an Eldoret hospital.
Wafula, who is credited with pushing for the prosecution of key figures linked to the 2007/08 post-election violence at the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague, especially Deputy President William Ruto and radio journalist Joshua Sang, breathed his last at 7am on Wednesday morning at St Luke’s Orthopaedic and Trauma Hospital in Eldoret.
Their defence lawyers claimed Wafula recruited and coached witnesses to testify against them.
Wafula had been taken there on Tuesday evening after he fell ill. His Co-Director at Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (CHRD) Kipkorir Ngetich, who was with him at the hospital, told journalists Wafula was okay and had been at work until Saturday evening.
“Wafula was okay on Saturday; on Monday however he said he was unwell. We brought him to hospital on Tuesday but unfortunately he passed on this morning,” said Ngetich. He added that doctors had diagnosed him with diabetes and high blood pressure-related complications.
Mourning the region’s foremost activist, Moi University don, Prof Lukoye Atwoli, tweeted: “The thorn has softened, withered, and fallen. The rose is left exposed to flowery predators. The world is the poorer for your exit. Resquiescat in pacem, Ken Wafula.”
“My condolences to the family and friends of our departed brother Ken Wafula who was a champion of human rights in Eldoret. May his soul RIP,” tweeted former Kakamega Senator Dr Boni Khalwale.
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On his part, Consumers Federation of Kenya secretary general Stephen Mutoro said: “Didn’t know today was your last day on earth. Go well, Ken Wafula. You lived your life like a candle in the wind – the flame has been blown off. #RIPKenWafula.”
“Ken Wafula, in you I have lost a true, genuine friend. It’s painful, sad especially in view of our last conversation. RIP Ken,” Adams Barasa, an advisor to Cotu secretary general Francis Atwoli wrote on his Facebook page.
“OUR CONDOLENCES to the late Ken Wafula family and friends. He truly believed in human rights. He came into the limelight over the role he played in Kenya’s ICC cases which involved President Kenyatta and DP Ruto. Rest in Peace. #RipKenWafula #RipoffKenya,” Coniel Ongaki tweeted.
But even in death, his critics continued to question his role in the ICC cases and what motivated him to “fix” Ruto and Sang.
– Additional reporting by The Standard.
