Senator Mugo's husband succumbs to prostate cancer

Ambassador Nicholas Mugo with wife nominated Senator Beth Mugo during their 61th wedding anniversary at St Andrew church in Nairobi [File]

Nominated Senator Beth Mugo has lost her husband of 63 years, Nicholas Muratha Mugo who died at the Nairobi Hospital yesterday. He was 86.

Ms Mugo, a businessman and former diplomat, died from complications of prostate cancer which he had battled for long.

As an ambassador, he served in several posts including France, Yugoslavia, The Vatican, Ethiopia, and Sudan. He was also a Kenyan delegate to the United Nations General Assembly in 1968 and 1969.

Mugo also held a number of diplomatic postings in acting capacity including High Commissioner in the United Kingdom between December 1969 and March 1970.

His profile by the Beth Mugo Cancer Foundation where he held a trusteeship, said Mugo served as a director in several private ventures spanning the real estate, agriculture, retail, and mining sectors.

“Far-reaching governance in such diverse sectors has equipped him with the knowledge and skills required to provide direction, mobilise resources, and effectively implement decisions,” the foundation said.

He is survived by four children and a number of grandchildren.

Senator Mugo announced the death in a statement to newsrooms yesterday, which also said the former ambassador would be interred at a private ceremony later today. The date of his memorial would be announced later.

Mugo was one of the beneficiaries of the airlift scholarship fund set up by Tom Mboya to take young bright Africans to the US and Canada. 

He was admitted to study History and Political Science at Warren Wilson College in North Carolina, US.

His outstanding achievements were recognised when he received a Distinguished Alumnus Award from the college in 1968, the family said.

In a statement, former President Mwai Kibaki mourned Mugo as a seasoned envoy and devoted public servant who served the country with visible distinction.

“Unassuming yet resolute, Ambassador Mugo set an exemplary record in public service guided by his unmistakable sense of purpose and unwavering dedication throughout his career,” said Kibaki.