President Uhuru Kenyatta has sent condolences to the family of former assistant minister Fredrick Oduya Oprong who died on Saturday.
Uhuru described the politician and trade unionist as an icon of Kenya's independence struggle, a true servant of the people and patriot.
“The late Oprong was a legend in his own right having founded the Kenya Mines, Quarry and Workers Union in which he later became its Secretary General championing the rights of the workers, thereby contributing to betterment of the workers environment and welfare in this country, ” he said.
"The late politician will also be remembered for his contribution to the struggle for Kenya's independence in the 1960s and for his service as an Assistant Minister in Mzee Jomo Kenyatta and President Moi's administrations.”
Uhuru said Oprong played a key role in the government having understood what was required to improve the Kenya’s economic growth.
“It was due to his grasp of the workers issues that he was appointed to serve as an Assistant Minister for Economic Planning and National Development. This was to enable the government to formulate policies which would help in fast tracking the country’s economic growth,” he eulogized.
Oprong suffered a stroke in mid-2015 and died at the Kenyatta National Hospital on Saturday aged 83.
He was rushed to the facility by the family after he developed chest complications.
Oprong survived an assassination attempt in 1994 while serving as an assistant minister for Planning and Economic Development; the bullet remained lodged in his brain until his demise, 25 years later.
