A prominent businessman and Tharaka-Nithi County politician Francis Kiambi Matanka is dead.
The lifeless body of the director of Patiala Distillers Limited was found lying on the bed at his Nairobi Karen home situated along Ndege road on Monday morning.
"It is with profound sadness that we announce the sudden passing of Mr Francis Kiambi Kiriiro Matanka which occurred this morning January 9, 2023. We ask that you keep the family in prayers," read a statement by Mr Muriithi.
According to a police report seen by Nation.Africa, the death report was made at Karen Police Station by the deceased wife Mary Waingwe Muthoni.
Mr Matanka lost to Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof Kithure Kindiki in the 2017 Tharaka-Nithi County senatorial seat contest where he ran on a Maendeleo Chap Chap party ticket.
Mr Matanka who comes from Nkarini area in Chiakariga Sub County in Tharaka constituency also contested for Tharaka Member of Parliament seat in 2007 but lost Mburi Muiru.
Mourning Mr Matanka, County Governor Muthomi Njuki said the county and indeed the entire country had lost an industrious and development oriented man.
He said Mr Matanka was a great resource to his county and has left a great gap that may take many years to be filled.
"On my behalf and that of my government of Tharaka-Nithi, I am saddened by the untimely death of my long time friend Matanka. He was an asset to the county and country at large. He was a progressive person and as a county we have lost an industrious, kind and focused investor and it may take many years to fill the void he has left," said Governor Njuki.
Interior CS Prof Kindiki mourned Matanka as an iconic entepreneur who not only built an impeccable business empire but also helped inspire a generation of business people from the Ameru region and nation at large.
He said Matanka will he remembered as an astute business leader whose acumen saw him establish one of the largest manufacturing industry in Kenya, employing hundreds of people directly and impacting thousands of lives.
"We are poorer as a people without this brave and selfless leader. Matanka's leadership, towering personality and generosity will be missed by many particularly Tharaka community among whom he had made life-changing and impactiful investments. This reminds us that we are all passersby on this earth and life is just a fickle," said Prof Kindiki.
County Woman Rep Susan Ngugi said the death report is a shocker and a huge blow to the county and the country.
She said Matanka had the county people at heart and tried to uplift their living standard by introducing the Tharaka farmers to cash crop farming such as watermelon and sorghum," said Ms Ngugi.
Senator Mwenda Gataya, Tharaka Member of Parliament Gitonga Murugara and former Chuka University Vice Chancellor and 2017 Tharaka-Nithi County gubernatorial candidate Prof Erastus Njoka also mourned the business man as a community asset and urged the residents to pray for the family.
