Former East Africa Legislative Assembly Member of Parliament Abubakar Zein Abubakar
Former East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) member Abubakar Zein Abubakar has died.
Abubakar, who served as the head of the Presidential Secretariat for the Wiper Democratic Movement, died on Thursday, July 9, 2026, at a Nairobi hospital.
The cause of his death was not immediately disclosed.
According to those close to him, he had undergone surgery and was recuperating when he died.
Friends and supporters had organised a fundraising event scheduled for Saturday, July 11, to help offset his medical expenses, but learnt of his death before the appeal could take place.
Abubakar served as a member of the East African Legislative Assembly between 2012 and 2022, where he earned recognition as an advocate for regional integration within the East African Community.
During his tenure at EALA, he championed initiatives aimed at strengthening East African unity.
Among his most notable proposals was a campaign to rename Lake Victoria "Lake Jumuiya," arguing that the Swahili word for unity better reflected the region's shared identity and aspirations.
In December 2024, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka appointed Abubakar to head the party's Presidential Secretariat and campaign team, tasking him with shaping the party's long-term political strategy. He remained active in public discourse on governance and public policy until his death.
News of his passing prompted an outpouring of tributes from leaders across Kenya's political divide.
Among those who paid tribute was Orange Democratic Movement Director of Communications Philip Etale, who wrote on social media: "Rest in peace, Mheshimiwa Abubakar Zein. A good man has rested. A man of few words with a great smile."
Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka also mourned him, saying: "Hon. Abubakar Zein was a profile in courage. Time and again, I watched him choose the difficult path over the comfortable one, principle over politics, country over career. That is the rarest form of courage in public life, and he carried it without ever announcing it. Zein did not ask what was convenient. He did what was right."
The family is expected to announce funeral and burial arrangements in accordance with Islamic traditions.
