This archive report was first published on 23 December 2019.
Charles Rubia, a veteran politician and the first African mayor of Nairobi, has passed away at the age of 96. He died on Monday at his home in Karen, Nairobi.
According to his lawyer, Senator Irungu Kangata, Rubia's death occurred on Monday at his Karen home. He was 96 years old.
Rubia was a prominent figure in Kenya's political landscape, having served as the first African mayor of Nairobi and later joining Parliament, where he rose to the cabinet.
He was a key figure in the calls for multi-party democracy in 1990, alongside Hon. Kenneth Matiba. Their efforts led to their detention by President Daniel arap Moi.
Rubia was born in 1923 in Murang'a County. He attended various schools, including Alliance High school and the Posts and Telecommunications Training School in Tanzania.
He also received a British Council grant to study the British system of local government in the United Kingdom in 1959.
Condolences are streaming in on social media as news of his passing spreads.
