Lamu Deputy Governor Raphael Munyua Ndung’u is dead. Munyua died while receiving treatment at the Nairobi Hospital.
The deputy county boss is reported to have succumbed to an illness barely two years after he jointly ran on an ANC ticket with Governor Issa Timamy to win the gubernatorial seat.
President William Ruto mourned the demise of Munyua, stating “I am saddened by the news of the passing away of the Deputy Governor of Lamu County Raphael Munyua Ndung’u.”
“He was a progressive leader who worked tirelessly for the greater good of the people of Lamu. Our love and prayers to the family, friends and the people of Lamu County at this sad moment,” he wrote.
Lamu Deputy Governor Raphael Ndungu confers with a KDF soldier in Lamu. /FACEBOOK
Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro also mourned the politician, noting that he had succumbed to an illness after being in a healthcare facility for some time.
“Our sincere condolences to the great people of Lamu County following the passing on of the Lamu County Deputy Governor Hon Raphael Munyua Ndung’u who has not been feeling well for some time,” Nyoro said.
The leader of the majority in the National Assembly Kimani Ichung’wah has also mourned the Lamu deputy governor, noting that he was a visionary leader.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, leadership, and the entire community of Lamu County following the untimely passing of Deputy Governor Raphael Munyua Ndung’u.
“He was a committed and visionary leader whose dedication to the pèople of Lamu will be deeply missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and the pèople of Lamu during this time of grief. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” Ichung’wah said.
He secured a gubernatorial comeback for Governor Timamy in 2022 after trouncing the then Governor Fahim Twaha. Timamy had lost to the former in 2017 after serving for one term.
Twaha would later appoint the late Deputy Governor as the County Executive Committee Member (CEC) for Health Services and Environment. He took an oath of office for the CEC position on October 12, 2017, and served until September 26, 2018.
He was then dismissed by Twaha after less than a year of service. The dismissal led to a legal battle with the Deputy Governor seeking legal redress in court by filing a case and a judgment would later be delivered on September 20, 2018, in Mombasa.
“In the circumstances of the case, it would appear that the Governor decided to dismiss the petitioner without any known reason. The attempt to introduce reasons in pleadings could not cure this irregularity and the Court finds that the Petitioner’s dismissal was unlawful, null, and void,” read the ruling in part.
The court ordered his reinstatement without loss of benefits and was reinstated to the County Executive Position four days later on September 24, 2018, only for Twaha to dismiss him two days later.
