Former minister Jowi dead

Former Minister for Economic Planning and Development in Jomo Kenyatta’s Government, Dr Gordon Odero Jowi is dead.

Jowi, who was also Member of Parliament for Ndhiwa  between 1969 and 1974, died on Saturday morning at Nairobi hospital after a short illness.

Dr Odero Jowi is credited with fighting for establishment of UNEP headquarters in Kenya, during Jomo Kenyatta’s tenure.

Jowi also served as an Assistant Minister, East African Community Pioneer Finance Minister, Planning Minister and Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

Jowi leaves behind his widow Salome Odero Jowi and five children.

Immediate family member Edward Rege said plans for his funeral are underway.

Kenyatta appointed Jowi as Kenya’s permanent representative to the United Nations, where he served between 1972 and 1974 and was instrumental in bringing the UNEP headquarters to Nairobi.

He returned to Kenya before the 1974 General Election and recaptured the seat, beating Matthews Otieno Ogingo, a former vice-chairman of the Nyanza Regional Assembly and seven other candidates hands down on a Kanu ticket.

However, Jowi did not complete his tenure. Jowi made history as Kenya’s first politician to win a closely fought election and then abandon his electorate for greener pastures abroad.

He left to join a UN agency in Canada in 1977.

A by-election was called and a former senior police officer, Zablon Olang’, won.