Former Jubilee Party Secretary General Raphael Tuju on Thursday broke into tears as he narrated recent deaths in the late former Education CS Prof George Magoha’s family.

Tuju, who was a Cabinet Secretary without portfolio in former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government, revealed that Prof Magoha was his cousin and they served in the same cabinet.

He took the chance to urge current CSs, former CSs and politicians who attended the requiem mass at Consolata Shrine in Westlands, Nairobi, to avoid politics at the event.

The former Rarieda MP, however, broke down as he spoke of the pain the Magohas had undergone after burying four of its prominent members in the last three years alone.

“Please bear with us as a family because it has been difficult. In January 2021, we buried, again, one of the brothers of Professor Magoha and it was a twin funeral - it was Arnold Agunga and his daughter, Dr Magoha, and they were buried on the same day,” he narrated.

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Tuju went on in a trembling voice, “On the day before the Professor’s death I was at his house discussing the funeral of Prof Nyabera, his brother, who died in the United States. And in some strange way he said ‘Raphael we are losing and burying our younger brothers. We should be ready because our time can come any time.’ A day later he had passed on.”

He narrated how Prof Magoha died on the same day he was supposed to go and receive his brother Prof Nyabera’s body, only for the body to arrive as his was in the same morgue at Lee Funeral Home.

“So, we’ve gone through a difficult time. So, bear with us, please - no politics!”


Dr Michael Magoha, the only child of the late Prof Magoha and Dr Barbara Odudu Essien Magoha, also broke down as he paid a glowing tribute to his late father at Consolata Shrine.

Fighting back tears and emotions, he kept halting his tribute but he assured those in attendance that he was fine and that they had gathered there to celebrate his father’s life.


“I didn’t know what to do because I’m supposed to give a tribute and that means expressing your feelings. I personally find it a bit strange, because how do you condense your entire life into 10, 15 minutes with someone? Sometimes it feels a bit insulting but what would he want? He would say to just speak from my heart and be honest,” said Dr Micheal Magoha.