Uhuru, Raila mourn former minister Soita Shitanda
President Uhuru Kenyatta and CORD leader Raila Odinga on Tuesday sent condolences to the family, relatives and friends of former Cabinet Minister Soita Shitanda who died at Nairobi Hospital after a long illness.
In his message, President Kenyatta said the former minister was a ‘patriotic and committed leader who was always loyal to the government and his country’.
“Death has robbed us one of the loyal sons of this country who served our country with dedication,” the President said in a statement.
The Head of State said it was because of his commitment to service that Shitanda was elected an MP in 1997 and 2002 to represent residents of Malava constituency.
He said the same commitment earned him a ministerial appointment in the Narc and the grand coalition governments.
Uhuru, Raila mourn former minister Soita Shitanda
The President wished the family God’s fortitude and comfort during this trying time.
For his part, Raila described the late former minister as ‘hardworking and dedicated’ and as one who ‘never shied away from stating what was on his mind and always spoke without fear’.
“I am deeply saddened by the news of the loss. I served with Shitanda both in the August House when he first joined Parliament in 1998 and in Cabinet where we both served while I was the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kenya,” Raila said.
Raila said the late Shitanda was a soft spoken leader who represented his people diligently and with a lot of dedication.
He also described him as a good debater in parliament and ‘a good man to listen to’.
“On behalf of the CORD fraternity, the ODM party, my family and on my own behalf, I express our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, relatives and the people of Malava and Kakamega County as a whole for the loss,” Raila said.
“Words alone cannot express how we feel for the loss of Shitanda. The country has lost a leader,” he added.
The former prime minister said that the late former Housing Minister’s death has dealt a blow to his family since he is now the third member of the family to pass away in a span of a month.
“It is just last week that his elder brother was laid to rest, a solemn occasion that he missed due to ill-health. Last month, he lost his younger brother. It is sad that the Shitanda family has lost three great men in a span of one month. It is well,” Raila said.
