Former Kwale Woman Representative Zainab Chidzuga is Dead

Former Kwale County Woman Representative Zainab Chidzuga has passed away aged 65.

Zainab died while undergoing treatment at Nairobi Hospital on Thursday, according to her son Hassan Chidzuga.

President Kenyatta in a message of condolence eulogized the deceased as a steadfast leader and astute grassroots mobilizer who helped uplift the welfare of women in Kwale County and across the country through her many initiatives.

“The ugly hand of death has robbed our country of a highly influential grassroots mobilizer and leader who was a role model to many women.”

“Mama Zainab Chidzuga was a passionate advocate of women empowerment whose many achievements as an activist, legislator, and mentor will continue shaping the gender agenda in our country for generations,” Kenyatta said.

Deputy President William Ruto lauded the deceased as a selfless and visionary leader, who served the people of Kwale with dedication. 

“Mheshimiwa Zainab Chidzuga was progressive, steadfast, and focused. We will remember her as a champion of women empowerment,” Ruto wrote on Twitter.

Zainab, an ardent supporter of President Kenyatta's administration and a former long-serving official of Maendeleo Ya Wanawake Organization (MYWO), served as the woman representative for Kwale between 2013 and 2017. She is the mother of TV news anchor Mwanaisha Chidzuga.