Peter Mbiyu Koinange was a powerful Kenyan politician and close associate of Kenya's first President Jomo Kenyatta, before and after the country's independence.
He served as a Cabinet minister in the government of Mzee Kenyatta for close to 17 years. He held various ministerial dockets including as Minister of State in the Office of the President, Minister of Education, Pan-African Affairs, and Minister of External Affairs. All this time, he was also serving as Member of Parliament for Kiambaa Constituency.