Former EALA MP Abubakar Zein Abubakar /SCREENGRAB
Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has paid a glowing tribute to Abubakar Zein Abubakar, describing the veteran politician as a constitutional reformer and diplomat as a courageous patriot.
Kalonzo said Zein’s contribution to Kenya's democratic journey will be remembered for generations.
Zein passed away on Thursday, July 9 at Avenue Hospital in Nairobi after an illness.
He served as a Member of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) between 2012 and 2022 and was, until his death, the Head of the Wiper Party Presidential Secretariat and Campaign.
Over the years, he established himself as a key strategist
within the opposition and played influential roles in constitutional reforms
and regional integration.
In an emotional tribute, Kalonzo said Kenya had lost an exceptional leader while he had lost a close friend and confidant.
"This morning, a family lost its anchor, Kenya lost a patriot, and I lost an invaluable colleague, friend, and confidant," Kalonzo said.
He described Zein as a man who consistently placed principle above personal interests.
"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."
Drawing from the Bible, Kalonzo said Zein had dedicated his talents to serving the country and those around him.
"Scripture reminds us, in Romans 12:6, that we have different gifts according to the grace given to each of us. Zein did not hoard his gifts. He deployed every one of them in service to Kenya and to anyone who needed them."
The Wiper leader hailed Zein as one of the architects of the
Constitution of Kenya 2010, noting that he served as a commissioner in the
Constitution of Kenya Review Commission, where he contributed to the country's
transformative constitutional reforms.
He also recalled Zein's long involvement in Kenya's struggle for democracy, saying he was among the prominent faces of the country's reform movement.
"A political activist par excellence, he also took to the stage as a thespian, drawing in younger Kenyans to advocate for the democratisation of our country," Kalonzo said.
He said Zein remained an influential figure through successive opposition coalitions, including the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD), the National Super Alliance (NASA) and Azimio la Umoja, where he worked closely with the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Beyond Kenya, Kalonzo said Zein left a lasting legacy through his service at the East African Legislative Assembly, where he championed regional integration, good governance and the fight against corruption across the East African Community.
Despite his political accomplishments, Kalonzo said Zein never abandoned his passion for the arts, describing him as a lifelong supporter of Kenya's theatre, music and creative industries.
"He treated artists not as entertainers but as nation-builders in their own right, carrying, in their own way, the same democratisation he had spent his life advancing," he said.
Kalonzo further described Zein as a calm negotiator and trusted strategist whose counsel proved invaluable during the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) talks in 2023.
The Wiper leader also thanked Kenya's arts, music and theatre fraternity for organising a Solidarity for Zein showcase at the Alliance Française Auditorium on Saturday, July 11, to support Zein's family and help offset his medical bills.
He urged Kenyans to attend the event and contribute generously, saying it was a fitting tribute to a man who believed deeply in the transformative power of the arts.
