Ntimama spent his last hours with family and close friends

Former Heritage minister and Maasai defender William ole Ntimama was in his element — bursts of laughter and endless stories — a few minutes before he died in his bed on Thursday evening at his Olchoro home in Narok County.

His death, at 86, brought to an end the illustrious career of a leader described by many as fearless and controversial for his countless fiery speeches and political activities cutting across three regimes — founding President Jomo Kenyatta, Daniel arap Moi and Mwai Kibaki.

On Friday, his daughter Lydia, recounted her father’s last moments , saying he had died peacefully and that they may not require a post-mortem because “he had rested well.” She linked her father’s death to the partial solar eclipse that was experienced on Thursday.

“In our culture, when there is an eclipse, someone big will sleep. And yesterday, someone big, my father slept,” said Ms Ntimama.

As if he had a premonition of his death, she said, Mzee Ntimama had gathered most of his children and close childhood friends at his Narok rural home on his last day alive for a meeting that went on into the night. At around 10.30 pm, he breathed his last after being supported to walk to his bedroom, said Ms Ntimama, adding that Mzee had gone to his ancestral home to prepare for a huge harambee planned for yesterday in aid of at least 30 women groups. Ms Ntimama was to be the guest of honour.

“He had insisted he wanted to go to Melili two days to the harambee against our better advise because we knew the place would be too cold for him,” she told the Nation at her father’s Lavington residence in Nairobi.

“We made final arrangements of the harambee and I wished him a good night,” she said, adding that Mr Ntimama had asked to be led to his bedroom upstairs just before 10.30pm.

He took the first few steps well but complained he felt too tired just before he reached the bedroom.

“He was assisted to his bed and when he lay down, he just slept. He was not sick. My dad just slept,” said Ms Ntimama, who described her father as a “gentle giant.”

“People gave him a picture of a tough, harsh man, but when he got home, he was the most loving father. We had a powerful, eloquent and loving father in him,” she said.

Narok County Police Commander Jillo Galgalo said Mr Ntimama had for the last one month been receiving treatment for an illness, which he did not disclose. His body was flown to Nairobi’s Lee Funeral Home.

Loved and hated in equal measure, the Maasai kingpin drew condolences from President Uhuru Kenyatta, his deputy William Ruto, Cord leaders Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka, and Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi among others.

Among those who visited his Lavington home to condole with the family were Mr Odinga, Narok Senator Stephen ole Ntutu, former Internal Security minister Julius Sunkuli and his brother Andrew.

Others were MPs Patrick Ntutu (Narok West), Mathew Lempurkel (Laikipia North), Peris Tobiko (Kajiado East), Elijah Memusi (Kajiado Central) and Johana Ngeno (Emurua Dikir). Also at the home was former Cabinet minister John Keen, one of Mr Ntimama’s closest allies.

“He liked perfection and worked very hard in every position he had. Bill was a pillar of strength and a symbol of resistance to injustice,” said Mr Odinga.

He described his working relationship with Mr Ntimama since they ditched Kanu for Narc in 2002, as cordial, saying they had visited each others homes several times.

Mr Ntuntu said: “We have lost a spokesman of the Maa people. He was smart and stood by his word.”

Mr Lempurkel described him as a mentor, while Mr Memusi said he was a man of honour.

A grief-stricken Mr Keen said: “He was my friend. He was just like two years younger than me. That is enough.”

Narok Governor Samuel Ole Tunai, Senator Stephen Ole Ntutu and other area MPs put their political differences aside to pay tribute to Mr Ntimama who was for decades known as the Maasai Kingpin and community spokesman.

Governor Tunai said death of the former Heritage Minister was a blow to the Maasai community and the country as whole.

“We used to consult Mzee over leadership issues,and the history of the community. It is very painful to lose him,’ said Mr Tunai.

Residents who spoke to the Nation led by Maasai Council of Elders Chairman Mr Kasaine Ole Esho described him as a second liberation hero for the Maasai land rights, a hard worker and a man with strength of character who never shied away from speaking his mind.

“The community is in deep loss. We are plunged into a quagmire on issues to do with protection of Maasai land, the Mau forest, and unity and political stability of the county  which Mr Ntimama championed,” said Mr Esho.