Jeremiah J.M. Nyagah

The most Honorable Doctor Jeremiah J.M. Nyagah E.G.H. (November 24, 1920 ^[1] - April 10, 2008) was elected a member of the pre-independence Legislative Council(Legco) to represent the present-day Embu, Mbeere, Kirinyaga and Nyeri districts in 1958. This came about in a by-election, caused by the creation of a new constituency, following negotiations with the British colonial government to increase the number of African representation. he had previously lost out to Bernard Mate in the 1957 general elections contesting the Central province seat at the Legco.^[2][3][4] for After Kenya independence he became the member of parliament for Gachoka Constituency until his retirement in 1993. Jeremiah Nyagah was also a pre independence freedom fighter.

Nyagah was awarded the Bronze Wolf, the only distinction of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, awarded by the World Scout Committee for exceptional services to world Scouting, in 1982.^[5]

His eldest son Hon Joseph Nyagah E.G.H. is a cabinet Minister in the ministry of coperatives as a nominated MP by the ODM party, and a former member of parliament for Gachoka constituency. Joseph Nyagah is a pentagon member of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), a major political party. His eldest daughter Her Excellency Doctor Mary Khimulu is currently an ambassador to UNESCO.. His wife Eunice Wambeere Nyagah died on October 29, 2006. His second son Hon. Norman Nyagah E.G.H.] is the former Member of parliament for Kamukunji Constituency constituency and also the former Govt Chief Whip. His other son Governor Nahashon Nyagah, is a former Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya.

Jeremiah Nyagah served in Kenya's parliament from 1958 to 1992 when he retired. He became a Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Power and Works in 1963. He also served as the longest serving cabinet minister from 1966 to 1992 ^[6]

He acquired his early primary and intermediate education in Embu and Kagumo (Nyeri) before proceeding to the famous Alliance High School, Kikuyu Secondary School in 1937 for four years leading to admission to Makerere College, Uganda in 1940 for a 3 year Diploma.

After Makerere, Nyagah came back to the country to begin a teaching career in January 1944. Between 1944 to 1958 March, Nyagah taught in schools and colleges and also administered the supervision of education in the Central Province in Kiambu District. During this period, he had a 2-year break when he joined the University of Oxford (in U.K) Dept. of Education for further training (1952–54)

He was elected to LegiCo. (Parliament) in 1958 and served Kenya in that capacity up to January 1992 when he opted to retire from parliamentary politics. During his tenure in Parliament, he served for 8 years a backbencher (three of which was the 1st elected African Deputy Speaker).

He served in several key full cabinet ministerial posts; among them, Education,Information and Broadcasting, Agriculture, Environment and Health Between 1966 and 1992. During his service of 35 years in Kenya's Parliament, he served in a number of national, regional and international bodies of socio-economic nature.

He also served the church and youth organizations very devotedly especially as the Kenya Scouts Association Chief Commissioner for 3 decades and later as their Chief Scout.

Other voluntary organizations he served in include Heart-to-Heart Foundation as a Chairman of the Board and the Kenya Fund for the Disabled.

He also served international organizations like FAO, UNESCO, and UNEP.

Nyagah was also an Honorary Doctor of Letters holder from Egerton University.

Jeremiah Nyagah died on April 10, 2008 at the age of 87. He died of pneuomonia at Aga Khan Hospital, Nairobi.^[7]

References

1. ^ Daily Nation, April 11, 2008: Nyagah leaves mark on political scene
2. ^ Kenya National Archive 1956
3. ^ Kenya National Archives 1956–1957a; J. R. Roelker 1976:141
4. ^ Kenya National Archive 1952–1957; Kyle 1999:79–82
5. ^ World Scouting Triennial Report
6. ^ Daily Nation, April 13, 2003: The Influential Young Turks Of The 60s
7. ^ Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, April 10, 2008: Jeremiah Nyagah dies

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Name	Nyagah, Jeremiah
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Date of birth	November 24, 1920
Place of birth
Date of death	April 10, 2008
Place of death