This archive report was first published on 15 May 2020.
On August 14, 1978, the Kenyatta family gathered for a reunion at State House in Mombasa, Kenya, a significant event that would later take on a poignant tone. This reunion was particularly notable as it occurred eight days before Jomo Kenyatta's passing on August 22, 1978.
It's worth noting that the Kenyatta family had a tradition of meeting for family reunions on August 14, a date that held special meaning for them. This tradition began in 1961, when Jomo Kenyatta was released from restriction in Maralal, Northern Kenya, on August 14.
One notable attendee at the 1978 reunion was Peter Magana Kenyatta, Jomo's son with his British wife Edna, who had flown in from the United Kingdom with his family.
Stanley Munga Githunguri, the Executive Chairman of National Bank of Kenya at the time, had a phone conversation with Jomo Kenyatta on August 21, 1978. Githunguri had wanted to discuss Jomo's personal finances and investments, but Jomo insisted that he come to Mombasa immediately.
Githunguri was puzzled by Jomo's urgency and asked to postpone his visit until August 23. However, Jomo's response was firm: 'Shauri yako' (too bad for you), before hanging up the phone.
Tragically, Jomo Kenyatta passed away at 3:30 a.m. on August 22, 1978, at State House in Mombasa.
