Veteran Nakuru politician Koigi wa Wamwere and his wife Jane Nduta Koigi. [Source/JK]
Former Subukia MP Koigi wa Wamwere is Kenya’s second longest serving political detainee, having spent 13 years in prison fighting for liberty.
Koigi, a human rights activist, journalist and writer, is also one of the heroes of the country's Second Liberation.
The rebel fearlessly fought governments of Kenya's founding President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta and his successor Daniel arap Moi and was subsequently detained by them.
During Moi's 24-year regime, Koigi spent less than 5 years being a free man as he was either in detention or exile in Uganda or Norway.
All that time he was being hunted by 'Nyayo' , his children were being taken care by the wife of his youth, Jane Nduta Koigi.
A few years ago, the former MP recounted how the late Catholic Archbishop Raphael Ndingi Mwana ’a Nzeki came to his aid when he jailed in November 1993 after he was found guilty of attempted robbery with violence and being in possession of firearms without a certificate.
Ndingi, who died in 2020, gave Nduta a job to fend for their children who had been left destitute when Koigi was detained.
This good gesture from the cleric annoyed the Moi's government and he was summoned to explain why he was associating with dissents and their families.
“I did not employ her because I support dissidents, but because she is alone and has no food,” Ndingi is said to have told his interrogators.
The Catholic priest promised that he would fire Nduta upon the release of her husband and he kept his word as she lost her job the day Koigi came out of prison.
Nduta keeps a low profile despite her husband's popularity as a freedom fighter, author and politician. Koigi is eyeing Nakuru Senate seat on ODM ticket during August 9 general election.
Below are some of Jane Nduta Koigi's photos...
Content created and supplied by: MartinMurigi (via Opera News )
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