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The Enigmatic Assassination of J.M. Kariuki: A Legacy of Courage and Controversy

As we usher in the 49th anniversary of J.M. Kariuki's state-sponsored murder, we would do well to remember where  we have come from as a country...because  we are fast headed back there. Josiah Mwangi Kariuki,  renowned for his fearless stance against government corruption and social injustices, met a tragic end in March 1975. His mysterious assassination remains one of the most enigmatic and controversial events in Kenya's history, leaving behind a legacy of courage, controversy, and unanswered questions. Born in 1929, J.M. rose to prominence as a vocal critic of the government of President Jomo Kenyatta. His impassioned speeches and tireless advocacy for the rights of ordinary Kenyans earned him widespread admiration and respect, but also made him a target of powerful forces within the establishment. On the night of 1 March 1975, Kariuki was last seen leaving a nightclub in Nairobi. It would be the last time he was seen alive. In the days that followed, his disappearance sent

Kivuitu disowns Presidential results. Again!

Either Kibaki is a masochistic or he is a very stupid man, more than you and I gave him credit for.

The credibility of the presidential results took a further beating when the disgraced Kivuitu, he who famously announced Kibaki the winner of the presidential polls even when the facts were to the contrary, disowned a tally report of the 2007 elections that was published in Wednesday's papers. He claimed that someone in the equally disgraced ECK falsified his signature because he does not know anything about the report. Published in Wednesday's Nation and Standard is a tally of all 210 constituencies and how each presidential candidate apparently fared. He admits that all those reports are wrong.

For the second time, Kivuitu hinted at external pressures being brought to bear on the ECK to act in a certain way. "I wish to say I did not submit this report or authorise my name to be used for its publication. The use of my name is a falsification," said Kivuitu. "It seems like some outside force has pushed for its publication, otherwise whoever published it would have sought my consent for the use of my name," he said of the paid-up advertisement booked and paid for by the commission’s secretary, Joel Tsola.

In his statement released on Thursday, Kivuitu wondered why the ECK rushed to publish the data at a time when serious discussions involving eminent world leaders were ongoing as a result of the events following the commission’s December 31 announcement. However, Kivuitu said he was aware that data to that effect was being verified and when he saw its raw draft, he sought clarification on a few areas. "I was still waiting for this clarification". He attempted to exonerate himself of the responsibility of pushing Kenya over the ledge. "It is no wonder therefore that media has personalised the ECK’s announcement of the presidential election results so that announcement is now Samuel Kivuitu and not that of the ECK," he said. "We were gathered there to announce the results of their efforts. I never took part in any tallying or verification due to health reasons."

"Indeed it may be wrongly viewed as a defensive tactic by a guilty party to the dispute," he said in reference to his commission, which has been under censure from Kenyans over the manner in which it handled the tallying and announcement of the results, even after complaints were raised.

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