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Chingoro Zani, grandpa to nominated Senator Dr Agnes Zani was Coast’s first Digo evangelist who donated land where the first church in their Vyongwani village still stands. The influence of the Zanis is such that, besides being agitating for Digo rights, they shaped the political landscape of Matuga Constituency through the Zani Welfare Group.
The formidable husband-wife duo of Zachariah M Zani and his wife, Teresa K Zani, however was the one that catapulted the Zanis into national limelight. They defined the history of Kiswahili education in Kenya through co-authoring the popular, Masomo ya Msingi for Primary schools and Kiswahili Kwa Shule za Sekondari, which nurtured a whole generations of students.
Zachariah M Zani: The herdsman paid his way and attended Alliance High Class of 1951 and Makerere University for a Diploma in Education, Class of 1953 and University of Hull for a post graduate Diploma in Civic and Applied Math in 1955. He was a tutor at Shanzu Teachers College, Mombasa, for six years to 1981 when he became a Commissioner at the Teachers Service Commission until 1987.
The former teacher at Kwale and Shimo la Tewa high schools often woke up at 2 am to write plays and books including; Maneno ya Kutatanisha ya Kiswahili, a Kamusi, Mashairi Yangu and Mafarakano na Michezo Mingine, a novel. The owner of a bookshop in Mtwapa died in 2002.
Teresa K Zani: An alumnus of St George’s Girls, Kaloleni Class of 1950 and Hull University, Diploma in Philosophy, Class of 1983. She taught at Shanzu between 1989-1993, while co-authoring books with her hubby and representing Coastal women’s rights at Maendeleo Ya Wanawake. Teresa’s Mapishi ya Kisasa was a household cooking guide in Kenya where she died of pneumonia complications at 72, in 2014.
Dr Agnes Zani: ODM Nominated Senator and university sociology lecturer since 1993. The alumnus of Nairobi Girls Class of 1985 and University of Nairobi (BA, MA, sociology) earned her PhD in sociology from Oxford University in 2007.
Nicholas Zani: The engineer and only son in the family attended Liverpool University (bridging and foundation) Class of 2009 and a JKUAT Diploma in Civil Engineering. The Coast-based politician failed to clinch the Kwale Senatorial seat and is currently pursuing a Masters in Strategic Cooperation and Supply Chain Management, Liverpool University.
Elizabeth Zani: An alumnus of Limuru Girls Class of 1987 and University of Nairobi (BA, Kiswahili & Philosophy) is a Mombasa-based business and marketing consultant.
