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"content": "where I normally sit. At 6.15 p. m., because I looked at my watch, he came and told me, “Boss, I am done with my day, see you tomorrow.” Little did we know that, that mercurial speech on the Floor of this Senate was his last and he was biding me farewell not to see me tomorrow, but forever. When we learnt this morning of the departure of our brother, it sounded like a fairy tale. A person you sat with, listened to and joked with only a few hours back, is no more! I talked to the former Prime Minister and we rushed to The Mater Hospital. On arrival, they were getting ready to take the body to the Lee Funeral Home. We led the way to the Lee Funeral Home and deposited the body. Many colleagues, including the former Vice President and Members from both sides of the political persuasion in the country came in. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, this House has lost a very able Senator; a Senator who even our distinguished colleagues who were having their debut in politics, had a lot to learn from on the skills of debate, the ability and the capacity to say what you do not agree with without showing any negative passions. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I knew Sen. Kajwang when we were at the University of Nairobi. You have heard me joke on the Floor here that he was my learned junior, but at the University of Nairobi, he was a year ahead of me. In his class was hon. Martha Karua, hon. Njeru Githae and Mumo Matemo and a few other people. They were one class ahead of us. He was then a very eloquent student leader. He was the Secretary General of the Student Organisation of Nairobi University (SONU) at our time. When he stood at the great court to speak, he moved everybody. As fate would have it, those were days of extreme intolerance and Sen. Kajwang, hon. Mukhisa Kituyi, Rumba Kinuthia and a few of that group were expelled from the university. Sen. Kajwang found his way to Makerere University, finished his law studies and came back. He has been a very active member of the bar and a Member of this House; starting with the last Parliaments which he has served with distinction from 1997. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, Sen. Kajwang is a man nobody can forget easily. I was checking on the Twitter and among those who tweeted, I have never seen him tweet before, is the President, hon. Uhuru Kenyatta. He said, “It is with utter shock and deep sorrow that I have learnt of sudden death of Sen. Gerald Otieno Kajwang.” There is a friend of mine and friend of ours in Tanzania, the de facto Leader of Opposition in the Tanzanian Parliament called Zito Kabwe. He has also tweeted saying, “My sincerest condolences to the family of Sen. Otieno Kajwang and the people of Homa Bay County.” He has dedicated his tweet to President Uhuru Kenyatta, the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, the Senate Minority Leader (Sen. Wetangula) and Sen. Murkomen. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, there are many other people who have called to say many good things. There is a tweet from a journalist called David Makali saying, “That is the passing of the most humorous and hilarious politician on the landscape of Kenya.” Indeed, it is true. As we have been doing our political rounds, even when the public is waiting to listen to the big three of CORD, they always demand to listen to two people; Sen. Kajwang, the Bullfighter of Kakamega, Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale and sometimes the distinguished Senator from Machakos County. Once Sen. Kajwang is present, it is a must The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}