Veteran Gusii politician Simeon Nyanchae has died at the age of 88.
Nyachae’s family confirmed on Monday that the former finance minister died at the Nairobi Hospital where he was receiving treatment.
The Gusii region kingpin retired from active politics in 2007 after he failed to clinch the Nyaribari Chache parliamentary seat.
He contested for presidency in 2002 on the Ford People party ticket but lost to retired President Mwai Kibaki of the then-popular National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) coalition.
Nyachae’s death comes slightly over a week after his family denied social media reports that the politician had passed on.
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Nyachae’s son Charles, however, confirmed that the patriarch was admitted at the Nairobi Hospital.
“Dad is in hospital and is receiving treatment and appropriate care,” he posted on Facebook.
Reports indicate that Nyachae has been ailing for more than 10 years.
The deceased was born in Nyaribari, in Kisii County on 6 February 1932 to the then powerful colonial chief, Musa Nyandusi.
After completing his studies in London in 1960, Nyachae was posted as a District Officer in Kangundo Division.
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He rose to the ranks of a District Commissioner in December 1963.
He became a District commissioner by December 1963 before returning to Churchill College, Cambridge to pursue a diploma course in public administration.
Upon his return to Kenya in 1964 he went back to provincial administration and from this point on, he steadily rose up the ranks within the provincial administration and ending up serving as a Provincial Commissioner between 1965–1979 and later chief secretary in the Civil Service under the Jomo Kenyatta and Daniel Moi governments.
Nyachae was first elected Member of Parliament for Nyaribari Chache in 1992. He first served as Minister for Agriculture and later in 1998 President Moi appointed him to head the finance ministry.
The wealthy Nyachae family has interests in banking, agriculture, manufacturing and construction sectors.
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