Why Man Who Donated Millions For Kibaki's 2002 Campaign Has Refused to Attend His Burial

Before the late President Mwai Kibaki won the presidency in 2002, Former Nyeri Town MP Wanyiri Kihoro and his wife Wanjiru Kihoro were his bosom buddies.

It is not clear whether the late Kibaki's wife Lucy was in the mix but the trio are said to have lived like a family and would step in for each other in times of crisis, just the way loyal friends will do.

Wanyiri and Kibaki struck their friendship about a decade earlier before the latter's presidency.

Wanyiri was one of the people who fought for Kenya's multi-partyism. Being a party to the struggle saw him detained with the likes of Koigi  Wamwere.

It is during his detention that Kibaki would pay him a visit more often.

After his release, Wanyiri would join Kibaki in seeking elective seats and in 1997, he vied for the Nyeri Town MP seat as his friend went for the presidency.

Wanyiri won and Kibaki lost.

In the 2002 elections when Kibaki's chances of becoming a president were boosted following the endorsement of leaders such as Raila Odinga,  Wanyiri and his wife took an integral part in his campaign including raising funds.

“I contributed Sh16 million towards his 2002 campaigns, which money we delivered to him in a plastic bag at the DP [Democratic Party] Finance House offices in Nairobi in the company of my wife, Wanjiru Kihoro, now deceased, and Charity Ngilu,” he said.

It is after Kibaki won the presidency that their friendship began detouring to enmity.

In several interviews he has had, Wanyiri recounted Kibaki never acknowledged their support even as he claimed the late president forgot them.

On January 25, 2003, Wanyiri's wife Wanjiru was involved in a deadly crash while on her way from a homecoming ceremony at the home of former vice president  Moody Awori, who was then a cabinet minister.

The event was staged to celebrate the Narc coalition's win.

The accident left Ahmad Mohammed Khalif and two pilots.

Others in the chopper were ministers Martha Karua, Raphael Tuju, and Linah Kilimo.

While Wanjiru survived the crash, she sustained injuries that saw her put in ICU in a coma for four years until 2006 when he passed.

It is the events that unfolded during the four years of his wife's sickness that led to Wanyiri detesting Kibaki.

During the sickness period, Wanyiri says Kibaki never visited them as a family or even contribute anything to the medication despite the fact that it took a toll on them.

Wanyiri said the act was a betrayal of a trusted friend who he believes his helping hand would have been key in shaping the destiny of his wife.

When Wanjiru died in 2006, Wanyiri publicly told off Kibaki from attending the burial. Kibaki did not.

And now Kibaki has died, Wanyiri has said he won't attend the burial.