Kenya will on Friday lay to rest a man who wore many hats, stood strong for marginalised communities and wildlife and was a great believer in social justice.
Sydney Quntai died on April 20, after a short illness and
will be buried in his Iseuri home in Kajiado.
The soft-spoken former journalist, communication expert, conservationist and activist died aged 57 and
is survived by six children and a grandchild.
“We have lost an icon, a friend and a mentor. He was a father not only to us but also to the rest of the world, including the wildlife that he held dear. A pillar of our lives has crumbled,” Sharon, the eldest child, said in her tribute.
“But times and seasons are in God's hands and we thank him for the time we shared with him,” she added, describing her father as an open-minded and strong-willed person.
Renown activist Okiya Omtatah termed Quntai
a courageous, honest, humble, dedicated and focused individual.
“I never regretted working with him. I am proud to have met a man whose convictions I admired,” he said.
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Omtatah said he had worked with Quntai for over a year, petitioning against the passage of the Standard Gauge Railway through Nairobi National Park.
“In his deathbed, he still urged me to fight on. On the day he died, he was on phone asking whether I had filed this or that and telling me not to compromise,” he said.
“To see a man
stand up for a course that doesn’t benefit him individually or directly, and not complain of pain while dying,
is saving grace for the human race,” he added and prayed for protection for the bereaved.
Akshay Vishwanath from SaveNNP campaign said Quntai
was dedicated to the social justice and environmental causes in Kenya.
“His energy was infectious; it inspired all the people around him to get involved and do their best to make a difference. Those of us on the Save Nairobi National Park Campaign will continue our fight, not just to save this beautiful park, but also to honour his memory."
Quntai will be remembered for his steadfast belief, fierce stance and bold readiness to fight for the justice of wildlife, the environment and the community.
Star Sports Editor Chris Mbaisi, who worked with him at the collapsed Kenya Times newspaper, remembered Quntai as a prolific features writer "who told deep stories" about marginalised and minority communities.
“I found him in the newsroom. Unlike most journalists who were selfish and unfriendly in guiding new colleagues, he was patient, welcoming and keen on mentorship.
He gave us ample time to say everything we wanted to before responding," he said.
Trish Heather-Hayes from Friends of Nairobi National Park said:
"He was a great man ... an ordinary person who faced extraordinary circumstances but acted with courage, honour and self-sacrifice,."
Quntai was the third born son of the late Theophilus Toirai, the first Maasai magistrate.
He served as a journalist with Nation newspaper from 1983 to 1985, joined Kenya Times in 1985 and theKenya Television Network (KTN) in 1994.
He went into public relations in 1996.
Quntai unsuccessfully vied for Kajido Central MP in 1997 before joining activism.
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