Hundreds bid final farewell to Kwale senator Boy Juma Boy

Hundreds of mourners have gathered at the Vanga home of Kwale Senator Boy Juma Boy, who died Sunday at the Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi, to pay their last respects to the long-time lawmaker.

The late senator is expected to be laid to rest shortly after 4pm Monday.

Lunga Lunga MP Khatib Mwashetani said preparations for the final rites were going on smoothly.

Speaking to the Nation at the late senator's home, Mr Mwashetani said the body will first be taken to mosque for the 4pm prayers.

The late Senator popularly known for his oratory, skills will later be buried at Mshashani.

ODM Party leader Raila Odinga, his deputy Ali Hassan Joho and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka are among those expected to attend the burial.

Senator Boy was a key ODM point-man at the Coast and was liked by many for always speaking his mind and keeping the government on its toes.

GREAT MASTERY OF KISWAHILI

Those who have met the late senator were mesmerised by his eloquence, fluency and colourful Kiswahili whenever he hit the public podiums for political, cultural or social gatherings.

His mastery of Kiswahili can be traced to his early days at Mombasa's Aga Khan Secondary School where he came to the limelight for acting the main character of Ebrahim Hussein’s play Kinjeketile.

At a recent function in Gasi Village, Msambweni Constituency when asked why he had never grown out of the Kinjeketile role, the senator retorted that “dunia ni jukwaa la michezo ya kuigiza (the world is a stage of theatrics)”.

“You see, when I became the best actor in the 1970s nationally, I knew I had a talent that can push me all the way to the top,” he said.

SUCCEEDED FATHER AS MP

The senator’s political life shaped early in his life in 1983 after his father, Juma Boy, then Kwale Central MP, suddenly fell ill and died while being treated in London.

Following the MPs death, Kwale Central voters decided to elect his son, the young Boy, who later retained the seat in subsequent elections in 1988 and 1992.

But in the aftermath of the 1997 Kaya Bombo skirmishes in which a section of Likoni Police Station was burnt and dozens of people killed the senator disappeared into political oblivion after he was accused of being behind the atrocities.

At the height of his political career between 1992 and 1997, the deceased served as the Kanu chief whip in Parliament.

In his political wilderness, the late Boy became practiced traditional medicine in his Vanga Village before winning the senatorial seat in the 2013 elections.

He garnered 60,886 votes against his closest rival, Chirau Ali Mwakwere’s 41,753 votes.