NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 2- Former Attorney General, the late Charles Njonjo, famously referred to as ‘The Duke of Kabeteshire’ has been hailed as a sticker of constitutionalism, following his death on Sunday morning.
Deputy President William Ruto said Njonjo was a “knowledgeable, blunt and dedicated advocate for the causes he believed in.”
“We will miss his company and warmth,” the Deputy President said in a Tweet.
He added that Njonjo, “devoted his life in serving our country in pre-and post-independent Kenya as a civil servant, Attorney-General, Kikuyu MP, and Constitutional Affairs Minister.”
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga said Kenya had lost ” a towering giant who served in key roles during his life.”
Kitui County Governor Charity Ngilu said Kenya “owe an immeasurable debt” to Njonjo, for his role in promoting the rule of law and in the founding of Kenya at the Independence.
He served as Kenya’s first Attorney General from 1963 to 1979. Njonjo also served as Constitutional Affairs Minister between 1980 and 1983.
Njonjo is the son of the late Josiah Njonjo, a colonial paramount chief and one of the foremost collaborators of British rule in Kenya.
The Njonjo family were close friends of Harry Leakey, whose son Louis and grandson Richard) would later play important roles in archaeology and Kenyan politics.
In 1972, Njonjo married Margaret Bryson with whom he has three children, Wairimu Njonjo, Nimu Njonjo, and Josiah Njonjo.
He was 51 at the time of his wedding having passed many chances to marry earlier.
Margaret Bryson was the daughter of an Anglican missionary.
In 1976, during a period of tense relations between Kenya and Uganda, Njonjo took part in secret negotiations with Israel that proved instrumental in the success of the Israeli military’s Operation Entebbe.
The government of Kenya allowed the Israeli armed forces to use Nairobi airport as a stopover base in the context of the military assault on Entebbe airport that ended a week-long hostage crisis involving Israeli air passengers taken prisoner by a PLFP commando.
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