Former Provincial Commissioner Zachary Ogongo passes on in Nairobi

NAIROBI, KENYA: Former Provincial Commissioner and Permanent Secretary Zachary Ogongo has died after an illness.

Ogongo was pronounced dead in hospital after collapsing at his Athi River home Saturday morning, his family said. The body was later moved to the Lee Funeral Home.

A family spokesman Dan Onkoba Momanyi said Ogongo had suffered cancer.

He once served as a Permanent Secretary at the ministries of Local Government, Lands and Health until his retirement in November 2005 having served in the civil service from the rank of DO, DC, PC through to PS.

Ogongo is survived with a wife Agnes Moraa and seven children. He unsuccessfully contested for the Nyamira County Gubernatorial seat in 2013 general elections on an ODM ticket.

He had also unsuccessfully contested a by-election in Kitutu Masaba in 2011.