Former Cabinet Minister Joe Nyagah succumbs to suspected COVID-19

Former Cabinet Minister Joe Nyagah has succumbed to suspected COVID-19 complications.

The deceased, aged 72, died at a Nairobi hospital while receiving treatment.

Joe Nyagah served as Assistant Minister for East African Community under then President Mwai Kibaki, and was also the national coordinator of the Northern Corridor Integration Project in the same ministry.

He also served Kibaki as Minister for Cooperatives, during which time Kenya’s Sacco movement grew into one of the largest in the continent peaking at 10.1 million subscribers in 2010.

Besides his Cabinet posting in Kibaki’s government, Nyagah served as the chair of the Inter-ministerial Committee of African Co-operative Ministers.

He later ran for the country’s presidential seat.