Women’s rights trailblazer and ex-MP Phoebe Asiyo dies
Former Karachuonyo MP and women’s rights trailblazer Phoebe Muga Asiyo has died at the age of 92.
According to a statement released by her family on Thursday, July 17, 2025, Asiyo passed away peacefully in her sleep while in North Carolina, USA.
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“With heavy hearts, the Asiyo family shares the profound loss of our cherished mother, Hon. Dr. Phoebe Muga Asiyo, who has peacefully passed away in North Carolina, USA. Her presence and love will be deeply missed by all who knew her,” the statement read in part.
Adding;
“We kindly ask for your understanding and patience as we navigate this difficult time. Details regarding the memorial services and funeral arrangements will be communicated soon.”
Life well lived
Born in 1932 in Kendu Bay, Homa Bay County, to a Seventh-Day Adventist pastor, Asiyo rose from modest beginnings to become one of Kenya’s most influential voices for women and justice.
She broke ground as the first African woman to head Kenya’s prison system as Senior Superintendent of Prisons, where she introduced reforms to improve conditions for female inmates, including access to sanitary care.
She also became the first African president of Maendeleo ya Wanawake in the 1950s, setting a strong foundation for women’s empowerment across the country through education, leadership, and economic development.
In politics, Asiyo served as the MP for Karachuonyo in two non-consecutive terms, becoming one of the most enduring female legislators of her time. In 1997, she introduced a motion in Parliament pushing for affirmative action to boost women’s participation in politics.
Although the motion was defeated, it would later inspire the two-thirds gender rule entrenched in the 2010 Constitution.
Her wisdom and strength touched generations. She mentored upcoming women leaders and made history as the first woman to be made a Luo elder, an honour that reflected her towering influence not just in politics, but in cultural spaces as well.
Asiyo also served as a UNIFEM Goodwill Ambassador and was a commissioner in the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission.
Gladys Wanga’s tribute
Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga paid a moving tribute to the late leader, describing her as a fearless mentor and a symbol of hope.
“A tribute to Mama Phoebe Asiyo Nyar nam ma ratego. My heart is heavy as we mourn the loss of a beacon, a mentor to many, a trailblazer whose light guided so many of us,” Wanga said.
“Mama Phoebe Asiyo was not just a leader; she was the steady hand that lifted others, the voice that spoke for the voiceless, and the unwavering spirit that refused to accept injustice.”
“As the first African chairperson of Maendeleo Ya Wanawake, as Karachuonyo’s MP, and as a champion for women’s rights at UNIFEM, Mama Phoebe didn’t just break barriers; she dismantled them so others could follow. The Order of the Golden Warrior and Chief of the Burning Spear were not mere honours; they were acknowledgements of a life lived in service.”
