Nairobi — President William Ruto Sunday cleared the hospital bill for Mukami Kimathi, the ailing widow of the late Mau Mau hero and freedom fighter Field Marshal Dedan Kimathi.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua who visited the 92-year old freedom fighter at The Nairobi Hospital Sunday, where she has been receiving treatment, announced that her pending hospital bill was cleared by the President, facilitating her release.
The Deputy President expressed concern that Mau Mau fighters and their families are struggling to meet basic needs like quality treatment despite putting themselves or their parents putting their lives on the line in liberating Kenya from colonialists.
"Our freedom fighters and their children live in abject poverty and squalor. On the other hand, the black colonialists took the land and gave it to home-guards and collaborators. It is very sad. It is a tragedy," he said.
In this regard, the Deputy President challenged families which benefited from the land repossessed from the colonialists to share it out to those who have nothing.
The families will have a place to call home instead of the large tracts of land remaining idle, he said.
Gachagua was concerned that past regimes have done so little to help the remnants of freedom fighters and their families. The Kenya Kwanza Administration is having engagements towards improving the lives and remnant freedom fighters and their children.
"Mau Mau fighters were discreet. This engagement will be discreet the same way our fathers and mothers planned on how to drive colonialists off our land with only a panga and sheer resolve to attain freedom," the Deputy President said.
Mama Mukami is one of the few heroes and heroines who are still alive, 59 years after Kenya gained independence. She has been in and out of hospital due to ailments mostly related to old age.
As she gets better and ready for discharge from hospital, President William Ruto settled the over Sh1.3 million medical bill of Mama Mukami.
In this regard, Gachagua reiterated that President William Ruto is determined to make available medical insurance cover for everyone as per the Kenya Kwanza Plan.
This will help those who cannot afford quality medical care and reduce poverty.
The Deputy President was in the company of various leaders.
