Late Former Mbooni MP and Minister Konzolo Munyao. File Photo. 
By Andrew Mbuva
The country is mourning the death of former Livestock Minister and long-serving Mbooni MP, Hon. Joseph Konzolo Munyao, a veteran statesman whose public service career spanned more than five decades. Munyao, 85, passed away yesterday while receiving treatment at the Nairobi Hospital, according to his son, Alex Kyalo.
Messages of grief and admiration poured in from leaders across Ukambani and the nation, each paying tribute to a man remembered for his humility, devotion to public service, and transformative impact on Kenya’s agricultural sector.
President William Ruto led the nation in mourning the former minister, describing him as a leader of steady dedication whose work left a lasting mark, especially among farmers.
“We extend our deepest condolences to his family and to the people of Mbooni as we honour a man who served with steady dedication,” the President said. “He worked very closely with farmers to strengthen their livelihoods… His public service reflected a quiet resolve and a clear sense of duty that shaped many lives.”
Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka echoed these sentiments, calling Munyao “a quiet yet powerful presence” and “the embodiment of a devoted public servant.”
“Joseph was humble, disciplined, and deeply committed to serving ordinary Kenyans,” Kalonzo said. “His guiding principle was simple yet profound: service for the people.”
Quoting the Gospel of Matthew, Kalonzo added: “Well done, good and faithful servant… Enter into the joy of your master,” noting that Munyao’s lifelong service had earned him honour both on earth and beyond.
Leaders who worked alongside Munyao in government and politics remembered him as a principled leader and trustworthy colleague.
Former Gichugu MP and PLP leader Martha Karua recounted serving with Munyao in the Democratic Party’s National Executive Committee and later in the Kibaki Cabinet.
“Munyao was an amiable personality who cared deeply for the people and put all his energies to service,” she said. “May his rich legacy be a source of comfort to his family.”
Former Machakos Senator Johnson Muthama, who knew Munyao throughout his political career, described him as an unwavering and patriotic leader.
“His leadership and dedication will continue to inspire future generations,” Muthama said. “Despite the ups and downs of politics, our relationship endured… His legacy is a testament to his unrelenting spirit and love for the country.”
Former Kibwezi MP Prof. Philip Kalo Ki said Makueni County had lost “a politically decorated elder and a true friend,” while Makueni Speaker Douglas Mbilu hailed Munyao’s decades of service to the constituency and to Kenya.
“You were a distinguished leader whose decades of service left a lasting mark on Mbooni and the nation,” Mbilu said, recalling Munyao’s role in promoting farmers’ economic freedoms and multiparty democracy.
Born on May 4, 1940, Joseph Konzolo Munyao built a public life rooted in resilience and commitment. An alumnus of Machakos High School, he began his professional journey as a bank clerk in 1962 before joining the Office of the Founding President as an accounts clerk.
His political journey started early. At only 23, he contested the Mombasa Mainland seat in the 1963 General Election. Though unsuccessful, he would return to win the Mbooni parliamentary seat in 1975 following a successful election petition.
He later served as a nominated MP between 1998 and 2002 before reclaiming the Mbooni seat in the 2002 General Election, riding on the wave of the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC). That same year, President Mwai Kibaki appointed him Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Development.
It was during this tenure that Munyao oversaw one of his most impactful achievements: the revival of the Kenya Meat Commission (KMC), which had been closed for 15 years. On June 26, 2006, he presided over its reopening, declaring it a new dawn for Kenya’s meat industry and a major boost for farmers seeking better returns.
“The revival of KMC presents the possibility of exporting meat and meat products which provide higher returns as compared to live animals,” he said on that historic day.
Beyond politics, Munyao was a dedicated farmer, engaging in dairy, poultry, goat farming, and commercial fruit production at his Kalawa farm in Makueni.
He also remained a key pillar of the Democratic Party long after leaving elective politics, serving the party as recently as July 2023.
As leaders mourn him, a portrait emerges of a man who lived for service — a humble statesman, a farmer at heart, a quiet force in Kenya’s political history, and an elder whose wisdom shaped generations.
For the people of Mbooni, Makueni, and Kenya at large, Joseph Konzolo Munyao leaves behind a legacy of integrity, resilience, and unwavering commitment to public good.
He is survived by his family, who now carry not only the weight of loss but the pride of a name etched permanently in Kenya’s story.
