NAIROBI, Kenya – Kenya will honour the late Phoebe Asiyo, a pioneering lawmaker and gender equality icon, with a State Funeral on August 8 in Kibiri Ward, Homa Bay County.
President William Ruto approved the national honour following appeals by Maendeleo ya Wanawake Organisation (MYWO) and Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga.
Asiyo, who passed away in North Carolina, USA, aged 93, will now join a distinguished list of national heroes such as Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, Prof. Wangari Maathai and the late marathoner Kelvin Kiptum, who have been accorded State Funerals for their monumental contributions to Kenya’s public life.
Confirming the announcement on Sunday, Governor Wanga said:
“I raised the matter with the President, and he agreed that this would be a State Funeral. His Excellency and Baba [Raila Odinga] are with us.”
Asiyo’s legacy spans decades of service in politics, gender advocacy, and public administration.
She served as Karachuonyo MP from 1980 to 1983, then again from 1992 to 1997, and was instrumental in pushing for the creation of the Woman Representative seat to increase women’s political representation.
Beyond the legislature, Asiyo broke barriers in public service. In 1963, she became Kenya’s first female Senior Superintendent of Prisons and was the first African chairperson of Maendeleo ya Wanawake Organization.
Under her leadership, the group empowered thousands of women through agricultural projects and small-scale businesses.
Internationally, she represented Kenya as the first Goodwill Ambassador to the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), and later served on the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission. Within her Luo community, she was the first woman conferred the title of Elder.
President Ruto led tributes, describing Asiyo as “a bold and courageous leader who tirelessly championed women’s inclusion in politics and leadership.”
ODM leader Raila Odinga, who visited her family in Rachuonyo North, hailed her as “a true trailblazer whose leadership opened doors for many women in Kenya’s political space.”
Asiyo’s remains are expected to arrive in the country on August 4 ahead of the official burial.
Meanwhile, Maendeleo ya Wanawake is pushing for renewed government support, with National Chairperson Rahab Mwikali urging the State to recognise MYWO as Kenya’s only national women’s movement.
“We used to receive support from the government and we continue to deliver State projects. It’s only fair that we’re supported accordingly,” Mwikali said.
The organisation is currently undertaking a nationwide recruitment campaign targeting young women ahead of the 2026 elections.
Governor Wanga echoed the appeal, saying, “There is no other national women’s organization like Maendeleo. Let us work together to support it.”
