Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Wiper Patriotic Front Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka Saturday, led a host of leaders in condoling with the family of the late politician J.M. Kariuki following the death of his widow, Terry Wanjiru Kariuki.
The leaders joined family members, relatives and friends at the Kariuki family residence in Kilimani, Nairobi.
Gachagua, in a message shared on X, expressed his heartfelt sympathies to the family.
She describes her as a strong woman who kept alive the spirit and values of her late husband, J.M. Kariuki.
The outspoken legislator and champion of social justice was assassinated in 1975.
“To the family of the late J.M. Kariuki, we join you in mourning your matriarch, Terry Wanjiru Kariuki. My deepest sympathies to you on this difficult moment. I pray for peace and strength during this difficult time,” Gachagua stated.
He added that the late JM’s philosophy of justice and equality remains alive “amidst the hegemony and heartlessness,” noting that Kenya must never forget the pain and sacrifices endured by those who stood for what was right.
“We shall never forget the atrocities that befell those who stood for justice. We hail Terry, a committed matriarch, for her strength in holding the family of JM,” Gachagua wrote.
Terry passed away on October 30 while undergoing treatment at a Nairobi hospital.
A memorial service in her honour was held Friday at the Nairobi home.
Ex-CS Sicily Kariuki, former MP Maina Kamanda, and several elected leaders from the Mt. Kenya region were among those part of the delegation.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua with Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and other leaders at the late JM Kariuki's family residence in Nairobi on November 8,2025/XIn a statement following her death, the Kariuki family paid glowing tribute to the late Terry, describing her as more than the wife of a national hero, “a light in her own right.”
“She carried herself with quiet strength and endless compassion. Through years of both joy and pain, she stood tall, holding her family and community together with love that never wavered,” the family said.
They added that Terry’s life embodied courage, resilience, and faith, qualities that kept alive the memory of JM Kariuki’s enduring legacy.
Terry will be laid to rest on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, at the family farm in Gilgil, Nakuru County.
The start of JM Kariuki's political career is generally traced to 1946, when he attended a political rally where Jomo Kenyatta denounced the British colonial government's treatment of native Kenyans.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua shakes hands with some family members during a visit to the home of the late JM Kariuki in Nairobi on November 8,2025/X
