- The former ambassador died on February 3, succumbing to complications from cancer of the bone.
- According to the family, he was first diagnosed with the disease in 2021 and was treated in the country and in Germany but the complications became worse.
Image: WILFRED NYANGARESI
Just few years after Beth Mugo and her husband Nicholas Mugo had ended their global tour serving in various diplomatic postings, a group of business women approached her to lead their business outfit, she said No.
Her reason; they had just returned from foreign service as a family and it was time to resettle before getting into something else. This was early 80s.
Her husband had other thoughts. He would encourage her to take up the leadership role telling her “...Beth just accept. You are capable and I will support in every way.”
Beth wrote in her tribute to her husband that Nick would explain his encouragement that she had spent over 10 years of her life playing second fiddle to him, supporting him and moving around the world with him on his ambassadorial postings and so it was his turn to step back for her.
From then on, Beth never looked back and went ahead to climb all the ladders there were in corporate leadership before venturing into elective politics in 1997.
She said her husband was the power behind her success and the reason she's remained in public limelight this long.
“...it is you Nick who encouraged me to join politics and other leadership positions. When women leaders of the Kenya Business and Professional Women Club visited our home requesting for my leadership, I said ‘no’ because we had just come back to the country from foreign service. I thought it was time to resettle back in the country after along absence in foreign service,” the nominated senator said in eulogy tribute read out on Friday during a service to celebrate her husband (deceased).
The former ambassador died on February 3, succumbing to complications from cancer of the bone.
According to the family, he was first diagnosed with the disease in 2021 and was treated in the country and in Germany but the complications became worse with time.
Earlier in 2014, he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer which got successfully treated in the country and in the United States.
The father of four died shy of attaining the age 86. He was cremated at Kariokor Hindu crematorium last Friday, February 4.
From leading the club, Beth would become a seasoned politician, get appointed a Cabinet minister and serve in other international obligations that require her routine travel.
She said all the while, her husband let her shine without feeling intimidated and felt content serving in his quiet role.
"Your support of me every step of the way as a parliamentarian, a cabinet minister and in all my international assignments, such as the head of the Kenyan delegation to the World Health Assemblies and the inter-parliamentary union was humbling," she wrote in the two paged tribute.
Before the advent of constituency development fund, she said, it was her husband who would mobilise resources for Dagoretti constituency when she was MP to fund development projects.
"Before the establishment of Constituency Development Fund, you used to be at the forefront in mobilising resources, including your own resources, towards my projects in Dagoretti..." she said, citing Dagoretti educational bursary fund as an example.
"...Beth's success is my success. She supported me all along when I was an ambassador. Why wouldn't I support her myself..." Nick would tell the media when asked why he was 'overshadowed' by his wife.
Beth is blood relative to President Uhuru Kenyatta. Founding president Jomo Kenyatta and her father were blood brothers.
President Uhuru, who also attended the service, hailed the public service record of Nick, saying his commitment and selflessness was worth emulating.