George Magoha, the former Education Cabinet Secretary, died at 71.
Yes, it is true. His wife Dr Barbra Magoha told the Business Daily that he is no more.
He died on Tuesday at Nairobi Hospital after a cardiac arrest.
He was rushed to the facility today after falling ill.
Prof Magoha was known as a tough-talking and no-nonsense CS during his time at the Education Ministry.
President William Ruto has mourned Professor George Magoha as a unique, gifted and great servant of Kenya, adding that he feels privileged to have worked with the former Education Cabinet Secretary.
Prof Magoha is a great man of our time, a great man who stood tall in the academy, where he excelled in learning, teaching and research, as well as administration, President Ruto said in a statement.
He led robust turnaround interventions at the Kenya National Examinations Council and the University of Nairobi. Throughout his tenure as CS he evinced a commitment to high standards in the public service and uncompromising integrity, he added.
His death came a day after Maseno University announced that he would be a professor of surgery at the School of Medicine.
By Tuesday evening, family members had started arriving at Lee Funeral Home where Prof Magoha's body was moved.
His death is a double blow to the Magoha family as his brother, Prof Richard Nyabera Magoha, was due to be buried on Saturday after passing on December 6, 2022 in the US.
The family was already going on with their burial arrangements when they were hit with news of the death of the former CS.
Prof Magoha lost another brother, Charles Agunga Magoha, who died in Sweden in August 2021.
Before being appointed to the Cabinet five years ago, Prof Magoha served as vice-Chancellor at the University of Nairobi UoN for ten years from 2005 to 2015 and served as a professor of urological and transplant surgery at the College of Health Sciences in the UoN.
His medical career includes work and training in Nigeria, Ghana, Ireland and the United Kingdom. He also studied for a position in executive management at Stanford University.
He began his career in Nigeria as an intern in surgery at Lagos University Teaching Hospital and rose to Senior Resident and Clinical Lecturer in Surgery.
He joined the UoN as a lecturer in urological surgery in 1988 and rose through the ranks to become a full professor of surgery in 2000.
He leaves behind his wife Dr Magoha and his son Dr Michael Magoha.