A Rare Photo Of The Kenyatta Family

Kenyatta family reunion, State House Mombasa, Kenya, 14th August 1978, eight days before Jomo Kenyatta passed away on Tuesday, 22nd August 1978. Jomo Kenyatta was released from restriction in Maralal, Northern Kenya, on 14th August 1961, hence the significance of the 14th August date to the Kenyatta family.

After 14th August 1961, the Kenyatta family met for family reunions on 14th August, regularly though not annually, but it appears that the family reunion of 14th August 1978 was significant & poignant in the sense that Jomo Kenyatta appeared aware that he was about to depart e.g. Jomo’s son with his British wife Edna i.e. Peter Magana Kenyatta, flew in from the United Kingdom with his family for the 14th August 1978 Kenyatta family reunion.

And then the Executive Chairman of National Bank of Kenya (NBK) at the time i.e. Stanley Munga Githunguri, says he spoke with Jomo on telephone from Nairobi on Monday, 21st August 1978.

Githunguri had wanted to discuss Jomo Kenyatta’s personal finances & some of Jomo Kenyatta’s investments with Jomo, and Jomo, according to Githunguri, kept insisting that Githunguri go down to Mombasa that very Monday, 21st August 1978. Githunguri pleaded for time with Jomo, asking Jomo to allow him, Githunguri, to fly down to Mombasa on Wednesday, 23rd August 1978.

Githunguri could not understand why Jomo wanted him to fly down to Mombasa immediately on that Monday, 21st August 1978.

Jomo then said to Githunguri on telephone “If you do not come today (i.e. Monday, 21st August 1978), “shauri yako” i.e. “too bad for you.” Jomo then hang up the telephone on Githunguri.

Jomo Kenyatta passed away at 3.30 a.m. in the morning, Tuesday, 22nd August 1978 at State House Mombasa.

-Michael Mundia.