Veteran politician and former Karachuonyo Member of Parliament (MP) Phoebe Asiyo Muga has died in the United States, her family has confirmed.
Asiyo, a trailblazer in Kenya’s political landscape and women’s rights movements, passed away peacefully in North Carolina at the age of 92.
“With heavy hearts, the Asiyo family shares the profound loss of our cherished mother, Hon. Dr. Phoebe Muga Asiyo, who has peacefully passed away in North Carolina, USA. Her presence and love will be deeply missed by all who knew her,” read the family statement.
“We kindly ask for your understanding and patience as we navigate this difficult time. Details regarding memorial services and funeral arrangements will be communicated soon.”
The family described Mama Asiyo’s life as one deeply rooted in the strength of family. As a devoted wife to the late Richard Asiyo for over 65 years, a beloved mother, and a cherished sister and daughter, she built her legacy hand in hand with her loved ones, who remained her constant support and source of inspiration throughout her journey.
Asiyo was Kenya’s first female Senior Superintendent of Prisons on December 11, 1963, and played a pivotal role in reforming the prison system, including spearheading rehabilitation programmes and the separation of male and female facilities.
Former Karachuonyo MP Phoebe Asiyo Dies in the US
She later became the first African woman to chair Maendeleo Ya Wanawake in 1958, a national women’s movement, which she left to join elective politics.
The first woman elder was elected Member of Parliament for Karachuonyo in 1979 and used her platform to champion girls’ education, gender equality, and women’s rights.
Asiyo served two terms in Parliament—from 1979 to 1983, and again from 1992 to 1997. Her record was notable at a time when few women held elective office, and her legacy paved the way for others, including Beth Mugo, who went on to serve three terms as MP for Dagoretti.
Since 1997, she chaired the Caucus for Women Leadership and was a member of Parliamentarians for Global Action. She also served for 17 years as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM).
In 2009, she became the first woman to be installed as an elder—a rare honour among Kenya’s 42 communities, including the Ameru’s Njuri Ncheke and the Mijikenda’s Kaya elders.
She also served as a Commissioner on the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission and remained a respected leader throughout her public service.
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Phoebe Asiyo, Architect of the Two-Thirds Gender Principle
Phoebe Asiyo is hailed for being the brains behind two-thirds gender principle.
In 1960, she led a contingent of women to Lodwar, Turkana County, to persuade the late Jomo Kenyatta to constitutionally allocate 50 per cent of positions in Parliament to women, once he became president. Her term in MYWO ended in 1962.
On April 23, 1997, Phoebe Asiyo was serving her second term as Karachuonyo Member of Parliament when she tabled an Affirmative Action motion in the Seventh Parliament.
The motion was prompted by the continued exclusion of women from Kenyan politics and aimed to protect female victims of domestic abuse, widows disinherited of their family property, and women politicians subjected to violence during elections.
It also sought to support women political aspirants facing challenges such as limited financial resources, cultural barriers, and entrenched patriarchal norms. Beyond politics, the motion aimed to address issues like child marriage, widow inheritance, female genital mutilation, and women’s limited access to healthcare services.
In her memoir, It is Possible: An African Woman Speaks, Phoebe reflects on how Kenyan women had grown increasingly restless due to the repeated failure of successive governments to enact laws that truly empowered them.
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The Woman Who Wove Service Into a Nation’s Story
In recognition of her contributions, Mama Asiyo received honorary doctorates from Lehigh and York Universities and was awarded the Order of the Grand Warrior by the Government of Kenya.
Through both turbulent and triumphant seasons, she wielded her voice with a rare balance of steel and grace. Her presence lit up every room—with wit, wisdom, and an unyielding commitment to humanity.
“Serving her country was the golden thread woven through her life. Beginning as a community development officer on the eve of Kenya’s independence, she became a pillar of hope and progress to many. She understood, with both humility and conviction, that service to country means service to humanity,” read part of her obituary shared by Dignity Memorial.
Born in 1932, Phoebe Asiyo was the daughter of a pastor and was raised at a missionary centre. Defying the expectations of her time, she enrolled at Gendia Primary School in Karachuonyo.
After completing her studies at Embu Teachers Training College, she briefly worked as a teacher before joining the Prisons Department, where she rose to the rank of Senior Superintendent by 1964.
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