Nairobi's first black mayor Charles Rubia dies at 96

Charles Wanyoike Rubia  is dead.

Rubia, 96, died on Monday at his Karen Home.

Rubia was the  first African mayor of the then Nairobi City Council before he joined  Parliament, where he rose to the Cabinet.

President Uhuru Kenyatta sent condolences to the family.

He eulogised the former Minister as an icon of Kenya's vibrant multi-party democracy.

ODM leader Raila Odinga also sent condolences to the family.

In a tweet, he said, "He paid a great price for his stand and was detained at the height of the struggle but he never wavered. I am proud to have known and worked with him. My condolences go out to his family at this difficult moment and may his soul rest in Eternal Peace."

Rubia in 1990, together with the late Kenneth Matiba  led calls for multi-party democracy  that saw them detained by retired President Daniel Moi.

A year later, Rubia was released from detention and has been in poor health since.

The late was the Member of Parliament for Starehe constituency between 1969 and 1988.

He was in July 2018 awarded a Bachelor of letters for his good work by the University of Murang'a