‘Masomo Ya Msingi’ co-author dies at 72

A Masomo Ya Msingi co-author, Teresa Zani has died. Ms Teresa, who died on Thursday, aged 72, co-authored the famous book with her late husband Zacharia Zani.

Speaking to The Standard on Sunday on telephone, her son, Nicholas Zani, said his mother was admitted to Aga Khan Hospital, on Wednesday last week, with pneumonia like complications.

“She developed breathing difficulty and before we could transfer her to the Intensive Care Unit, she became breathless and efforts to resuscitate her were futile as she was pronounced dead 45 minutes later,” explained Zani. Besides writing books, Ms Zani was a former Teachers Service Commission commissioner, Maendeleo ya Wanawake chair at the Coast and a lecturer at Shanzu Teachers College.

She got married to Zacharia in 1964, with whom they had three children - Elizabeth Zani a graduate of Philosophy and Kiswahili, ODM nominated Senator Dr Agnes Zani, who taught Linguistics and Sociology at the University of Nairobi before joining politics and Nicholas Zani, an engineer.

“We will hold a memorial service on November 28, at Mombasa’s Family Basilica, before transporting the body for burial at Golini village, in Matuga on Saturday morning,” said Mr Zani.

Ms Zani has left behind four grandchildren. Masomo Ya Msingi was famous with primary schools in the 1980s and 90s. Zacharia died in 2002 of a heart seizure.