Former CID director Noah Too dies at 68
What you need to know:
- Mr Too’s son Paul KipKemoi said his father died at around 2am at the hospital where he was being treated for three weeks.
- Deputy President William Ruto described Mr Too as a celebrated police officer who served with dedication and distinction.
- Directorate of Criminal Investigation director Ndegwa Muhoro said Mr Too’s contribution to the police service cannot be taken for granted.
A former director of Criminal Investigations Department who also served as Ainamoi MP, Noah Arap Too, died on Wednesday morning.
He died at Nairobi Hospital where he was admitted for treatment of diabetes, according to sources. He was 68.
He was one of the longest serving chiefs of CID (since renamed Directorate of Criminal Investigations), having served for 15 years during President Daniel Moi’s regime. He was appointed in 1984 and retired in February 1999.
Mr Too’s son Paul KipKemoi said his father died at around 2am at the hospital where he was being treated for three weeks.
“The family is still in shock. We are still trying to come to terms with the fact that he is gone,” he said.
Deputy President William Ruto described Mr Too as a celebrated police officer who served with dedication and distinction.
“He also helped to improve the living standards of his Ainamoi constituents through development projects especially in education, agriculture and health,” said Mr Ruto.
He described the former MP as a humble, hard-working and generous person whose contribution to society was indelible. Directorate of Criminal Investigation director Ndegwa Muhoro said Mr Too’s contribution to the police service cannot be taken for granted.
“It is with shock that I learnt this morning of the passing on of Hon Noah Arap Too,” Mr Muhoro said.
Mr Too joined the Kenya Police as a corporal in 1964 and served for 20 years as a uniformed police officer and detective rising up the ranks.
He served under Kenya’s first President Jomo Kenyatta and President Moi as the CID boss after taking over from Mr Ignatius Nderi.
During Mr Too’s tenure special police units were set up such as the Crime Intelligence Unit and the Flying Squad that fought organised crime and highway robberies.
He joined politics in 2002 after serving in the Public Service Commission for two years, and won the Ainamoi Parliamentary seat.
He took over from Kipng’eno Arap Ng’eny as a Kanu candidate. President Mwai Kibaki appointed Mr Too as an Assistant Minister for Home Affairs when the Minister was Moody Awori, but he only served for three months and resigned.
Mr Too served as Ainamoi MP for one term, until 2007 when he lost the seat to David Kimutai Too. Kimutai was shot dead by a policeman on January 31, 2008.
Former Roads Minister, Franklin Bett also mourned the death of Mr Too described him as a fine, alert and a meticulous police officer.
Mr Bett said he had seen Mr Too in hospital on Tuesday evening. “I have lost a good friend” Mr Bett said.
