James Nyamweya

Nyamweya died on 25 September 1995 while serving as National Vice Chairman of the Democratic Party.

After the multiparty system was revoked in Kenya in 1992, Nyamweya led the newly founded Democratic Party in the Kisii area. His son George Omari Nyamweya later served as the Secretary General of DP.

After return of the multiparty politics in Kenya, Nyamweya joined hands with President Mwai Kibaki, then Minister for Health in Daniel arap Moi's cabinet, to form Democratic Party (DP). He was later to serve as National Vice-Chairman with Mwai Kibaki as Chairman. Nyamweya demonstrated his extraordinary qualities as a tactful politician when he mobilised the DP campaign so well in Kisii during the 1992 elections, which enabled Mwai Kibaki to get the highest number of votes in Kisii in comparison to other presidential candidates.

At the time Mzee Kenyatta passed on in 1978, Nyamweya was Minister for Labour. In his long and fruitful political career, Nyamweya earned several ministerial and other appointments: Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs; Assistant Minister, Office of the President; Minister of State in charge of External Affairs; Minister of State in charge of Provincial Administration; Leader of Government Business in Parliament; Minister for Works; Minister for Power and Communication; Minister for Labour; Chairman Electoral Boundaries Commission; and Democratic Party, National Vice Chairman.

However, tension began to build up in the mid-sixties following the formation of the Kenya People's Union party, and following the assassination of Tom Mboya. Joyce Nyamweya clearly recalls one incidence during her April 1969 School holidays while at their rural home in Kisii when Tom Mboya made a surprise visit.

In his lifetime, Nyamweya received several awards, titles, and honours. Among these were recognitions from Moravian College, Pennsylvania, which awarded him a doctorate degree of laws in 1965, and St. Lawrence University Canton, New York, which awarded him an honorary degree of Doctor of Political Science in 1975. President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta also decorated him with two of the highest honours, Elder of the Golden Heart and Member of the Burning Spear, for his distinguished service to the country.

In his lifetime, Nyamweya received several awards, titles, and honours. Among these were recognitions from Moravian College in Pennsylvania, which awarded him a doctorate degree of laws in 1965, and St. Lawrence University in New York, which awarded him an honorary Doctorate of Political Science in 1975. President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta also decorated him with two of the highest honours—Elder of the Golden Heart and Member of the Burning Spear—for his distinguished service to the country.

He served as a Barrister-at-Law at Lincoln's Inn. He served as the MP of the Nyaribari Constituency (now disestablished) from 1963 to 1976, representing the KANU party.

In addition to his everyday political activities, Nyamweya enjoyed a brilliant career as a trusted member of Mzee Jomo Kenyatta's government. Just before the 1963 general elections, constituency boundaries were redrawn and Kisii benefited with increased constituencies one of which was Nyaribari. Nyamweya once again entered the race and emerged a KANU winner a seat he retained for 16 years. After this well earned victory, President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta appointed him Assistant Minister for Constitutional Affairs, a ministry headed by his great friend and confidant, Tom Mboya.

For instance, despite losing to Lawrence George Sagini in the 1961 pre-independence elections, thereafter his relations with Sagini remained cordial. Daughters of the former two political rivals, Joyce and Margaret, who were in the same school continued to enjoy a ride in any of either father's cars when it was end of term. Sagini's driver often picked up the boys, while Nyamweya's driver took the girls as they travelled to Kisii for school holidays. This close relationship extended to the political standpoints of the two political giants from Kisii. The two often consulted first before seeking the involvement of other Members of Parliament from Kisii with regard to the best position to take whenever major crisis arose in Kenyatta's government.

Nyamweya gained admission to Kings College at the University of London for undergraduate studies, where he obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1958. Nyamweya was called to the Bar in Lincoln's Inn in 1959 and became Barrister-at-Law in the same year.

James Nyamweya (28 December 1927 – 25 September 1995) was a Kenyan politician who served in ministerial, parastatal, and political party leadership positions in both the Kenyatta and Moi governments from 1965 to 1995. He was Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Assistant Minister in the Office of the President, Minister of State in charge of External Affairs Foreign Minister, Minister of State in charge of Provincial Administration, Leader of Government Business in Parliament, Minister for Works, Minister for Power and Communication, Minister for Labour, Chairman Electoral Boundaries Commission, and National Vice Chairman of the Democratic Party.

Born in Kisii, Kenya, on 28 December 1927. Nyamweya was the fifth child of Pastor Paul Nyamweya and Louise Manyange. While still young, Nyamweya attended Nyanchwa Seventh Day Adventist Primary School and later moved to Kamagambo Mission School, where he excelled as a student and earned a reputation as an avid reader. Consequently, he qualified to attend Kisii Secondary School. He received a Bachelor of Laws degree from King's College London in 1958.