Charles Rubia was a pioneering Kenyan politician and democracy activist. Born in 1928, he served as Nairobi's first African Mayor from 1969 to 1974, transforming the city's governance. He held several ministerial positions under Presidents Kenyatta and Moi before breaking with KANU over corruption and authoritarianism. In 1990, alongside Kenneth Matiba, Rubia publicly demanded multiparty democracy, leading to their detention without trial. This sparked the Saba Saba protests of July 7, 1990, which became a turning point in Kenya's democracy movement. After his release in 1991, Rubia remained active in opposition politics, though he never achieved the same electoral success as Matiba. He died in 2005, remembered as one of the fathers of Kenya's Second Liberation and a champion of good governance.
See Also
Kenneth Matiba Saba Saba 1990 The Second Liberation
Sources
- Throup, David and Charles Hornsby. 'Multi Party Politics in Kenya.' James Currey, 1998.
- Nation Media Group archives.
- Murunga, Godwin R. 'Kenya: The Struggle for Democracy.' Zed Books, 2007.