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Born on 15th August, 1930 Thomas Joseph Mboya rose from a very humble background to become an enigmatic, inimitable and collosal trade unionist and political leader.
He was a renowned trade unionist worldwide and he became the first African to sit in the International Confederation of Free Trade Union board. Moreover he was a good orator and an intellect per excellence. https
He was an avid and eloquent trade unionist, known worldwide for his various contributions towards the Trade Union movements in Africa until he joined the murky world of politics
Mboya had many political enemies on the right as well as the left. He also had personal enemies, for he could be arrogant, brittle and ruthless in political infighting. He articulated the rights of the people very well and fought for them determinedly.
As a Luo, Mboya was given only a scant chance to succeed Kenyatta, a member of the country's dominant Kikuyu tribe.
His talents were such, however, that he might have been assassinated to head off any possibility of his presidency. Kenyatta described his death as "a loss to Kenya, to Africa and the world."
It was a serene Saturday afternoon in Nairobi, and Tom Mboya, the then Minister of Economic Planning and Development, was doing a little shopping downtown, what is now known as Tom Mboya street.
He stepped into Chhani's Pharmacy to buy a bottle of lotion. As he emerged, an assassin opened fire before escaping in the ensuing confusion.
Mboya was struck in the chest, blood soaking his suede jacket, and died in an ambulance on the way to Nairobi Hospital. Grieving Kenyans soon gathered in many numbers at the hospital that baton-wielding police were called out to keep the crowd at bay.
His killer was identified as Nahashon Isaac Njenga. He was later on arrested and hanged. Due to the fact that Nahashon was from the Kikuyu tribe, this fueled the rivalry witnessed between the Kikuyu and Luo tribes owing to the fact that the Luo
After his arrest, Njoroge asked: "Why don't you go after the big man?" Due to such statements, suspicions arose that Mboya's shooting was a political assassination.
As we commemorate his assassination today, Thomas Joseph Mboya and his contributions to this nation are still deeply engraved in our hearts. Lest We Forget.
Lo Wang'e Tek! Nind Gi Kwe Wuod Homabay
