Former Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha has passed on.

Prof Magoha’s family confirmed on Tuesday evening that he died of cardiac arrest while being attended to at Nairobi Hospital.

In what seems to be a weird twist of fate, the former Education CS died as the world commemorated the International Day of Education on Tuesday.

According to a statement from Nairobi Hospital CEO James Nyamongo, the doctor and academician collapsed while at home in Nairobi before he was rushed to the facility.


Nyamongo says, Prof Magoha was rushed to the hospital’s Accident and Emergency to receive urgent medical attention but efforts by medics to resuscitate him proved futile.

His body has already been moved to Lee Funeral Home in Nairobi for preservation as his family and the government make arrangements for his burial.


His death comes barely a week he landed a new job and was scheduled to make a comeback to the lecture halls at Maseno University in Kisumu County.

Prof Magoha was set to become a professor of surgery at the University’s School of Medicine, according to the University's Director of Public Relations Dr Owen McOnyango.


The professor served as the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) Chairman from 2016 to 2019 before he was appointed to head the Ministry of Education by former President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Before his appointment to Uhuru's cabinet, the academician and administrator was the Vice Chancellor of the University of Nairobi from 2005 up to 2015.


He is credited as the CS who executed the 100 percent transition for all primary school learners and also fronted the implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) and left office when President William Ruto appointed his cabinet in October 2022.