According to the announcement made at All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi, former Secretary General of Education Karega Mutahi has passed away.

Governor Evans Omollo announced Sunday that the church and the late professor’s family plan to hold a service Wednesday afternoon.

Confirming the death, Kenyatta University Training, Referral and Research Hospital President Olive Mugenda praised Prof Mutahi as a “pragmatic leader who gets things done” and made great contributions to the education sector.

“He was a pragmatic PS who did the tasks right and got the job done. When the construction of Kenyatta University Hospital was almost completed and we were preparing to commission it, Prof Mutahi graciously agreed to chair (as an advisor) the operationalization committee that I appointed as VC at the time,” Prof Mugenda shared on X.

“This critical Karega report contributed greatly to what we used as the basis for running the hospital when I was appointed Chairman of the Hospital Board. As PS MoE, Prof supported the Vice-Chancellors throughout my time as VC-KU and his support and hard work contributed to our ability to deliver good performance and transform KU as we did.”

Prof Mugenda expressed his condolences to Ms Karega, her children, family, education community and friends.

“His contribution to the education sector and to KUTRRH in that critical operationalization committee will find its place in the pages of the book when the story is written. After a magnificent and influential career of public service, Prof. May Mutahi’s soul rest in peace.”

Prof Mutahi served as PS in the grand coalition government of the late President Mwai Kibaki and was instrumental in spearheading reforms in higher education.

His academic rise from middle school classroom to professor continues to inspire many.

Prof Karega holds a bachelor’s degree in Linguistics and Politics from the University of Nairobi.

His humble beginnings did not deter him from pursuing a Masters in Linguistics at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Linguistics at the University of Nairobi in 1978.