NAIROBI, Kenya — The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) is mourning the death of Richie Munyao, its youngest board member, who passed away at the age of 38, leaving behind a record of impactful leadership in transport safety, technology, and infrastructure.
Munyao, a director at Innovo Limited, was appointed to the NTSA board in February 2023 by then Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, alongside five others, to serve a three-year term.
In its tribute, NTSA described Richie as a visionary professional whose contributions strengthened the authority’s reform and safety agenda.
“On behalf of the NTSA Board of Directors, the entire organization, and myself, I extend our deepest condolences to the family of the late Richie. He was a young, vibrant, and dedicated professional whose contributions were instrumental in shaping NTSA into a stronger and better institution. His absence will be profoundly felt by all of us. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” said NTSA Board Chair Hon. Khatib Mwashetani.
Beyond NTSA, Munyao held leadership roles in several sectors. He was involved with Fusion Sphere Global Solutions, a company specialising in construction, affordable housing, and infrastructure development, and also worked with Synervia Global Limited, a consultancy and advocacy group.
His work extended across East Africa, including projects in Kenya, Zambia, and Tanzania, and he helped develop financial models for renewable energy start-ups in Kenya, Tanzania, and Portugal.
While details of his early education remain private, Munyao pursued a degree in Business Information Technology at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT). He later studied at the University of Sunderland (UK), enrolling in a two-year MBA programme.
However, an NTSA 2023 report also lists him as holding an MSc in International Business and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from Nottingham University in the United Kingdom, indicating an extensive academic portfolio spanning business, law, and international studies.
Munyao’s family described him as a loving father, devoted brother, and cherished son. He was born on November 16, 1987, to Michael Munyao of Electrogen Technologies Ltd and Evelyn Munyao of Green & Gold Ltd. He was the father of Charlie Muoki Munyao and a close friend of Dr. Angela Muoki.
Richie was a brother to Phil Chege Munyao and Natasha Ngina Munyao, and a grandson to the late Mweka Munyao, Susan Ngina Munyao, Philip Chege, and Esther Gathoni Chege.
At NTSA, he is remembered for his commitment to road safety regulation, enforcement policy, and sustainable mobility initiatives. His colleagues credit him with bringing youthful insight, innovation, and strategic thinking to the authority at a time when the agency was intensifying nationwide road safety campaigns.
