Tweeting chief Francis Kariuki is dead
'Tweeting chief' Francis Kariuki.
Nakuru's Lanet Umoja location Chief Francis Kariuki, popularly known as the 'tweeting chief', is dead.
His family said he died at the Nakuru Level Five Hospital, where he was rushed to for emergency treatment after experiencing breathing difficulties.
The tweeting chief died at the age of 55 years.
"My father fell ill on Tuesday and we first took him to Evans Sunrise Hospital in Nakuru before he was referred to the Nakuru Level Five Hospital, where he passed on, while receiving treatment," his son, Ken Kariuki, told the Nation on phone.
His daughter revealed that Chief Kariuki has been ailing from diabetes for a long time.
The tech-savvy village chief of Lanet Umoja was known for using Twitter and other social media platforms to discharge his duties.
He received global attention in 2014 for using Twitter to fight crime.
Mr Kariuki led a community of more than 30,000 residents.
Via text message
His Twitter account shows he has about 60,000 followers and those who receive his tweets via text message are said to be in the thousands.
Subscribers get his tweets in real-time via free text messages and don't need to have a Twitter account or an internet connection.
The chief could send them at any time of the day or night using his smartphone.
By the time of his death, Chief Kariuki's tweeting had reduced the crime rate in Lanet Umoja.
He also used Twitter to encourage unemployed youth through messages of hope.
Early life
He was born and raised in Nakuru and attended Mereroni Primary School. He later joined Lanet Secondary School and Kigari Teachers Training College later.
He taught for 21 years in different schools as a teacher, four years as a deputy head teacher and six years as a head teacher at Lords School, Kambi Moto in Rongai Sub-County.
In 2009, he became the first chief of Lanet Umoja.
In 2015, he graduated with a degree in Counseling Psychology from Mount Kenya University, which he had been pursuing through virtual learning.
