Leaders from across the country gathered at Maxwell SDA Central Church in Nairobi to celebrate the late Phoebe Asiyo, a revered politician, diplomat, and champion of gender equality.
Asiyo, who passed away on July 16, 2025, in North Carolina, USA, at the age of 90, was remembered as a distinguished stateswoman, a trailblazer, and a maternal figure.
The former Karachuonyo MP was hailed for her contributions to transform Kenya’s political and social landscape — especially for women and marginalised communities.
A former president of the Maendeleo Ya Wanawake Organisation (MYWO), Asiyo was described not just as a patron, but as the very backbone of Kenya’s women’s movement.
“She was our campus and our conscience at Maendeleo ya Wanawake,” MYWO National Chairperson Rahab Muiu said.
“Mama Phoebe was a woman of immense wisdom — no situation was too big for her. As we mourn her, let us draw strength from her legacy and continue her work.”
Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo hailed Asiyo’s legislative legacy, recalling how in 1997, Asiyo brought the first affirmative action Motion to Parliament.
“Many of us are here courtesy of Phoebe Asiyo because we were first nominated before we were elected,” Odhiambo said.
“She opened the doors for women in politics and gave us a voice when we had none.”
Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang described how Asiyo’s vision shaped gender representation in leadership across Homa Bay County, where six of the twelve peace leaders are women.
“Mama Phoebe taught us that you can rebuke people without raising your voice, and correct without condemning. Her leadership was defined by dignity, not noise,” Kajwang noted.
Among those present at the memorial service were Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, former MYWO chairperson Zipporah Kittony, Gilgil MP Martha Wangari, Senator Margaret Kamar, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, Samburu West MP Naisula Lesuuda, Migori County MP Fatuma Mohammed, and Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris.
Born on September 12, 1932, Phoebe Asiyo was among the first women from Nyanza to be elected to Parliament, following the pioneering footsteps of Grace Onyango, who became Kenya’s first female MP in 1969.
Asiyo herself served two terms as MP for Karachuonyo in the 1970s and 1990s.
Beyond politics, Asiyo was deeply involved in global and local development work. She joined Maendeleo Ya Wanawake in 1953 and became its president in 1958. She also worked with the United Nations, dedicating her life to advancing the welfare of women, children, and communities affected by poverty, HIV/AIDS, and harmful cultural practices such as female genital mutilation.
In 2018, she was awarded the Order of the Burning Spear, one of Kenya’s highest national honors, in recognition of her work promoting girls' education, gender equality, and social justice.
She also made history as the first woman to be appointed a
Luo elder, a role traditionally reserved for men.
