Nairobi Rivers Commissioner John Kioli Kalua died after suffering a sudden asthma attack while attending to personal business in Nairobi’s central business district, his family said.
Kioli was going about his usual activities when he suffered the attack, prompting people around him to seek an inhaler and assist him in vain.
His brother, Isaac Kalua Green, on September 28, 2026, said the family was informed that efforts to save Kioli’s life had failed, with medical personnel who arrived at the scene pronouncing him dead shortly afterwards.
Green said Kioli had been asthmatic but had managed the condition over the years.
“And today he woke up very comfortable doing his business, his usual business. And John was asthmatic and was a situation that was very well managed all through. And as he was going on his business, he had an attack and he called the person who was nearest and the people were nearest to try and salvage him by getting him an inhaler,” Kalua Green said.
“And by the time they could come back, he was gone. And that is the story of what happened. The family humbly requests that the country pray with us.”
Kioli was a climate change and policy expert with more than 24 years of experience in environmental and energy policy.
As a member of Kenya’s National Climate Change Council, Kioli contributed to the development and implementation of key legislative and policy frameworks, including the National Climate Change Act of 2016 and the National Climate Change Action Plans.
His work also extended to county governments, where he contributed to laws including the Kitui County Charcoal Management Act of 2014, the Kajiado Climate Change Act and the Narok County Environment Act.
He was also involved in the development of more than 10 other policy and legislative documents.
Environmental leadership
Kioli served as executive director of the Green Africa Foundation and chairperson of the Kenya Climate Change Working Group.
Through his work with the ACCESS Coalition, he was involved in initiatives promoting climate justice and renewable energy policies in Kenya and across sub-Saharan Africa.
He also contributed to research and training on climate change, energy access and environmental policy.
His publications included “A Review of Energy Access in Kenya” published in 2019 and “Impacts of Climate Change on Energy Security”, published by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa in 2015.
Kioli was recently appointed by President William Ruto as a commissioner of the Nairobi Rivers Commission, which is tasked with supporting efforts to restore and protect Nairobi’s rivers and riparian areas.
He held a Master’s degree in Climate Change and Sustainability and was involved in drafting, advocating for and implementing environmental policies at national and county levels.
His appointment to the commission came as the government stepped up efforts to address pollution, encroachment and degradation of Nairobi’s river system.
Kioli brought his experience in climate policy, environmental governance and renewable energy to the commission.
The death comes as the commission continues its work on the restoration and protection of the city’s waterways.
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