Former Housing Minister Peter Soita Shitanda has passed away while receiving treatment at the Nairobi Hospital.
According to reports, the late Shitanda died at 1:30 pm on Tuesday, after being admitted to the hospital for three weeks.
Shitanda had been suffering from diabetes for two years and had undergone a kidney transplant in India several months prior to his death.
Lugari MP Ayub Savula, a close associate of the late minister, stated: "He has been diabetic. Three weeks ago, he suffered a sharp rise in blood sugar level and was taken to hospital. The doctors brought down the sugar levels but they later discovered that he was also suffering from a bout of pneumonia. At the time, he had left the intensive care unit and was being treated in the general ward."
At the time of his death, Mr. Shitanda was serving as the chairman of the board of the Agricultural Development Corporation.
His death occurred just three days after the burial of his elder brother, Walucho Shitanda, at their Butali home in Malava constituency.
President Uhuru Kenyatta expressed his condolences, describing the former minister as a patriotic and committed leader who was always loyal to the state and his country. "Death has robbed us of one of the loyal sons of this country, who served our country with dedication," the President said.
Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi described the late Shitanda as a "great son and leader." Cord leader Raila Odinga also paid tribute, saying Mr. Shitanda was a soft-spoken leader who represented his people diligently and with dedication.
Mr. Shitanda was first elected to parliament in 1997, representing Malava constituency on a Ford Kenya ticket. He was reappointed Housing Minister after the 2007 polls, a position he held until the 2013 general election.
The recovered account cited reporting by Nairobi News.
