The first Kenyan to go public about his HIV status, Dr Joe Muriuki has died.

The National Empowerment Network of People living with HIV/AIDS in Kenya (NEPHAK), confirmed Muriuki passed away on Monday at around 8 pm.

Muriuki has been living with HIV positively for the past 35 years.

According to NEPHAK, Muriuki has been receiving treatment for colorectal cancer at the Kenyatta National Hospital for the past two years.

The organisation revealed Muriuki’s cancer had reached stage 4.

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Muriuki came out and announced he was HIV positive on September 20, 1987, becoming the first Kenyan to announce publicly his HIV status.

However, Muriuki resisted ARVs for 27 years. According to him, he maintained his CD4 count of over 400 by observing a healthy diet, being active and having an optimistic attitude.