Former President Mwai Kibaki visited Kenneth Matiba's family on Saturday
to mourn his death.
Kibaki is one of many leaders who have either sent condolence messages or visited the relatives of the former Cabinet minister.
His Spokesman Ngari Kituku said he went to the home at Riara Ridge in Limuru earlier today.
Kibaki and Matiba
both attended Makerere University and had been close before a falling out.
They had a frosty relationship since the early 90s when Kibaki bailed out of the quest for democracy.
In 1964, Matiba was appointed Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce where Kibaki was the Minister.
Their relationship hit rock bottom when Kibaki, who had agreed to resign from his position and join the fight for multi-party politics, changed his mind.
Matiba never forgave his old friend and started referring to him as General Kiguoya (The Coward in Chief).
The politician boycotted the 1997 polls and burnt his voter's card, citing the lack of democracy, in a vote in which Daniel ara pMoi was re-elected for a final term.
Due to his political rivalry
with the retired President, he refused to let his Saba Saba Asili party
join the combined opposition coalition, Narc, at the 2002 elections.
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Kibaki visited the bereaved a day after meeting former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
The meeting set tongues wagging, coming just over a week after another one with retired President Daniel Moi at his Kabarak home on April 12.
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Matiba died last Sunday at Karen Hospital in Nairobi.
The 85-year-old former Kiharu MP was to receive Sh945 million as compensation for torture, detention and stroke.
Two public funeral services will be held next week, the first at All Saints Cathedral Church in Nairobi on Wednesday and the second at Ihura Stadium in Murang’a town on Thursday.
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