Curtains fall on independence senator
The late Phamenus Nzilu Munyasya, a former independence-era senator from Kitui. Mr Munyasya died on Monday night December 30, 2013 at Coptic Hospital, Nairobi. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
- Mr Munyasya, who was the first Senator of the now Kitui County, died on Monday night at Coptic Hospital, Nairobi.
- Mr Munyasya was among the 15 independence senators who witnessed the swearing in of the current senators.
- After the amalgamation of the lower and the upper houses Mr Nzilu became the first MP for Kitui West constituency from 1969 to 1974.
A former independence-era senator has died.
Mr Phamenus Nzilu Munyasya, who was the first Senator of the now Kitui County, died on Monday night at Coptic Hospital, Nairobi.
Mr Munyasya underwent surgery on one leg but later developed complications.
Confirming the former Senator’s death, his son Denis Nzilu said his father had undergone the first surgery at Kikuyu Mission Hospital and was referred to Coptic Hospital for a revision that was successfully done on Sunday.
“It is after the second operation that he developed heart complications on Monday morning and we took him back to Coptic where he was taken to the ICU,” he said.
Mr Munyasya was among the 15 independence senators who witnessed the swearing in of the current senators.
To the time of his death Nzilu was a political advisor to several leaders in Kitui County who sought his wisdom on political issues.
One leader who always sought his mentorship is Francis Nyenze the minority leader in the National Assembly.
“He was a selfless man who harboured no grudges and would help anyone who came to him for advice,” said Nyenze.
After the amalgamation of the lower and the upper houses Mr Nzilu became the first MP for Kitui West constituency from 1969 to 1974.
Having served in politics during the era of the first president Mzee Jomo Kenyatta and his successor Daniel Moi, Nzilu had a great experience in the country’s politics.
