Man describes seeing Nairobi for first time after 42 years in jail

Looking calm and collected in his single room and siting on a folding chair in a small, sparsely furnished living room, we meet 75-year-old James Weru Mureithi who was sent away for murder aged 30.

Weru was imprisoned at a time when firm sentencing reforms around the country were sending more people to prison for longer amounts of time but 42 years later, he walked out of the Kamiti Maximum Security Prison gates a free man.

His freedom followed a presidential pardon that was issued to more than 100 other convicts who had shown remorse for their actions and undergone an intensive vetting process.

President Uhuru Kenyatta pardoned him and several other inmates during the Jamuhuri Day celebrations and it is the attitude he had that has helped him continued to hang on since.

In an exclusive interview with Citizen, Weru, commonly known as Kibaki, calls Nairobi the city in the sun as he describes his first experience seeing many vehicles and beautiful women on his first day outside prison walls.

Weru expressed shock over how much times have changed since his time in remand, saying the most shocking is the price change in items.

“Just the other day we went to have soda at a shopping center and I must admit I was quite surprised with one soda costing Sh100,” said Weru in astonishment.

“Another thing that amazed me was chips that cost Sh100 yet in my days I would buy at Sh2.”

Technology is also new to Weru who is surprised by the advent of mobile phones, tablets and smart phones.

He describes landline telephones as the last type of phone he used before going to prison.

Weru was then taken for a ride in the city where he was blown away by the lovely scenery, adding that he was impressed with the development he witnessed.

“Am happy the mkokotenis (handcarts) are still in use, they were more common in our days,” he said.

We arrive at Yusra restaurant in the Central Business District and Weru cannot hide his excitement, he starts by ordering a glass of water.

As he takes his first sip, Weru delineates the water as being very cold saying his days never had such cold water preserved in the fridge.

He enjoys a scrumptious meal of pilau with chicken stew served with cocktail juice, relishing in every bite.

His release however has accorded him something close to a free ride into the future simply because a lot has changed over that period.