Uncle Njepi is gone to heaven.

: Image via Wikipedia

It is with a very heavy heart that I announce the death of my beloved Uncle. Njepi Putunoi a.k.a Nkitaru passed away on Sunday the 29th 2011 in Nanyuki after a long illness. Our family Putunoi, Ngais and all relatives have once again been devastated by death..

We pray that we stay tough during this trying moments and ask Enkai aang to keep our Nkitaru’s soul in Eternal peace. We shall dearly miss him but we know Enkai wanted him most.

Nkitaru was a very close relative of mine. He took care of me in Kalimoni Thika while I was a baby. He has always been a honest member of our family who stood up for every individual who needed help. Njepi knew what family meant. Generosity was his thing.

He was an open minded man who saw everybody for the human beings they are and not for what they have, or what tittle they have been endorsed with. He was a brave warrior who took a lot of risks when many others stayed behind. He stood against oppression in his little way even when the vise was within the family. He always chose the side of the weakest.

Like many of us from such harsh backgrounds, Uncle Nkitaru struggled to stay sane hoping for a better life some day. Njepi believed in hard work and solidarity. He was a caring father and husband.

Like all of us, Nkitaru had his own battles in life which are all connected to the degradation of human dignity in areas like Laikipia North.

Human beings are kept in such abusive environments that even the strongest end up loosing their heads in the struggle to claim what is rightfully theirs.

Men and women of integrity are broken down to hopelessness without a chance to recovery.

I know this because I have seen many who were perceived to be strong fail miserably due to lack of opportunities. I have also witnessed numerous individuals succeeding despite their weaknesses.

I have seen them capturing the moment the soonest they were given a little open window of opportunity.

My heart is crying today, just as it has done before when we loose members of our family and society, not because of nature causes, but because of illness caused by systematic negligence by our government on our people.

Death is painful in all its forms but it becomes worse when you know it could have been delayed if proper governance was in place.

Rest In Peace my Uncle.