Former Minister and KANU secretary general JOSEPH KAMOTHO (JJ Kamotho) is DEAD

The former Education minister has kept off the limelight after the March 4 general election.
Former Minister, KANU secretary general and political veteran Joseph Kamotho has died. Kamotho passed on in South African hospital. His son confirmed the though did not give more details.
JJ kamotho succumbed after a long struggle with kidney failure and high blood pressure in South Africa where he was undergoing treatment.
The former KANU strong hold, born in 1942 in Muranga County, has been in and out of hospital a number of times. In 2013 he had planned to run for the Murang’a senate seat but lost Kembi Gitura and was admitted at Nairobi hospital.
Kamotho was in a semi-coma state for one month after collapsing in Muranga during a public rally.
A family source then said Kamotho’s health deteriorated after he lost in his bid for Murang’a county Senate seat.
“I can confirm to you that Mzee is sick and he is current in a Nairobi hospital where he has been admitted for the last one month,” said the source then.
Kamotho has been in and out of hospital for the last few years.
The former Education minister has kept off the limelight after the March 4 general election. He was spotted last at Nokras Hotel where his campaign team had assembled during the voting day.
In September 2012 Kamotho collapsed during a charged political rally at Ihura stadium in Murang’a.
The former minister fell ill after the crowd prevailed upon him to declare support for President Uhuru Kenyatta which declined. He collapsed at the dias and was supported by his support to come down from the dias. He was a strong supporter of former President Daniel Arap Moi.
At the apex of his career he was one of the most powerful politicians the country had ever seen. As the longest serving secretary general of the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU), he was one of the most trusted and hawkish confidants of President Daniel arap Moi.
He helped make and unmake many a politician, and he survived many of Moi’s court intrigues almost to the very end. He would nevertheless ditch KANU and join anti-KANU opposition ranks in 2002 towards the end of Moi’s term in office.