By KPC Reporter
Former Karachuonyo Member of Parliament (MP) and pioneering women’s rights advocate Dr. Phoebe Asiyo has died.
The family announced her passing in a statement released on July 17, indicating that she died peacefully in North Carolina, United States.
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“We kindly ask for your understanding and patience as we navigate this difficult time. Details of the memorial services and funeral arrangements will be communicated soon,” read a statement from Caesar Asiyo, a family representative.
Widely known as “Mama Asiyo,” she will be remembered as a fearless leader and a relentless champion for women’s empowerment and political inclusion in Kenya.
A woman of many firsts
She joined Maendeleo Ya Wanawake in 1953 and, five years later, became the organization’s first African chairperson.
Under her leadership, the organization supported small-scale enterprises, promoted better agricultural practices, and pushed for the economic empowerment of women across Kenya.
Her advocacy extended to maternal health, nutrition, and the representation of women in all three arms of government.
In 1963, on the eve of Kenya’s independence, she made history again by becoming the country’s first African woman Senior Superintendent of Prisons.
She was later elected as the first woman Elder among the Luo community in recognition of her efforts to promote girls’ education, gender equality, and women’s rights.
Between 1988 and 1992, Dr. Asiyo served as the first Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), further cementing her international legacy.
In 2001, she was appointed a Commissioner in the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission, contributing to the shaping of the country’s democratic framework.
Her lifetime of public service and advocacy earned her numerous accolades, including honorary doctorates from Lehigh and York Universities, and the prestigious Order of the Grand Warrior of Kenya.
Further information on her life and legacy is available on the Dignity Memorial website under the obituary section.
Her death comes a day after former nominated MP Catherine Nyamato died.
Nyamato served during former President Daniel Arap Moi’s era, and was nominated from West Mugirango Constituency.
