Kenya mourning deaths of prominent people, Bethuel Kiplagat, Joseph Nkaissery, GG

Joseph Nkaissery

GG Kariuki

Bethuel Kiplagat

By Stephanie Odhiambo

, stephieodhiambo@gmail.com

Former Truth Justice and Reconciliation Chairman Ambassador Bethwel Kiplagat is dead. Kiplagat died early July 14th 2017 morning at age 81.

The former diplomat passed on while undergoing treatment at Nairobi Hospital after a long illness.

This is the fourth death of a high profile personality in one month. His death follows the death of former powerful Moi-era cabinet mister, Nicholas Biwott who died on Tuesday at Nairobi Hospital. Others include Interior Cabinet Secretary, Joseph Nkaissery who died on Saturday and Senator G.G Kariuki who died two weeks ago.

Ambassador Kiplagat was appointed to head TJRC by former president Mwai Kibaki in 2008 but later stepped down in November 2010 to pave way for investigation into past human rights abuses. This was after being pressured to resign by fellow commissioners, civil s

William Ole Ntimama

ociety groups, human rights activists and the general public. He was mentioned widely over his involvement in the Wagalla Massacre.

TJRC was mainly setup to investigate, analyze and report on causes of conflicts and gross human rights violations in the country since 1963 to 2008. He was later reinstated as TJRC Chairman after the then Justice Minister, Eugene Wamalwa intervened.

The late served as an Ambassador to France, the

Nicholas Biwott

High Commissioner to UK, Chancellor of Egerton University and the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He has also worked with the National Christian Council of Kenya and Kenya’s Special envoy to the Somalia peace process. He also chaired the African Medical and Research Foundation.