Former Education CS Prof George Magoha dies at 71
Former Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha has passed on. His death was confirmed to Nairobi News by his wife Dr Barbara Odudu Magoha.
“Yes, it is true that he is no more,” Dr Magoha said.
Nairobi News has established Prof Magoha died on Tuesday, January 24, 2023 following a cardiac arrest. He was reportedly rushed to the facility today after falling ill. He leaves behind his wife Dr Magoha and son Dr Michael Magoha.
Prof Magoha was known as a tough-talking and no-nonsense CS during his time at the Education Ministry.
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News of his death comes just days after Maseno University announced that he would be joining the institution as a professor of surgery at its School of Medicine.
The Nairobi News understands that he had just commissioned his memoir last week, while also gearing up to settle in his new role as a don at the university.
By Tuesday evening, family members had started arriving at Lee Funeral Home where Prof Magoha’s body was moved.
His death is a double blow to the Magoha family as his brother, Prof Richard Nyabera Magoha, was set to be buried this Saturday after passing on in the US on December 6, 2022.
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Prof Nyabera’s death was made public two days ago but the family did not mention what caused his death. According to an announcement that was made in a daily in the US, Prof Nyabera died on December 6, 2022.
In August 2021, the Prof Magoha lost his other brother, Charles Agunga Magoha who died in Sweden.
Before being appointed to cabinet five years ago, Prof Magoha served as Vice-Chancellor at the University of Nairobi (UoN) for ten years (2005 to 2015). He also served as a Professor of Urological and Transplant Surgery at UoN’s College of Health Sciences. His medical career includes work and training in Nigeria, Ghana, Ireland and the United Kingdom. He also trained in Executive Management at Stanford University.
In Nigeria, he began his career as an intern in Surgery at Lagos University Teaching Hospital and rose to become Senior Resident and Clinical Lecturer in Surgery. He later joined UoN as a Lecturer in Urological Surgery in 1988 and rose through the ranks to become a full Professor of Surgery in 2000.
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