KISUMU, Kenya, July 15 – Peter Adhu Awiti, who was a Cabinet Minister in Daniel arap Moi’s last government, has passed away in a Kisumu hospital.
Awiti who represented Karachuonyo constituency in Homa Bay County died on Tuesday afternoon. His close friend Hesbon Omollo said the late legislator was admitted to the hospital for more than a week as he battled with cancer.
“Dr. Awiti has been in the hospital for some times suffering from cancer and today he passed on,” he said.
Awiti was appointed the Minister for Planning after the merger between Moi’s KANU and Raila Odinga’s National Development Party (NDP).
He, however, was among those who resigned in a huff after Odinga’s brigade disagreed with Moi over his choice of candidate for the 2002 General Election.
“The people of Karachuonyo have lost a very dedicated leader and a resourceful senior citizen of the constituency,” he said.
Several leaders in Kisumu rushed to the hospital upon his demise to condole with the immediate family and view the body.
Kisumu County ODM chairman Dave Okwatch said the party lost a dedicated member who also offered political advice to the party.
“We are today saddened after learning the loss of our brother who was patriotic to this country and to the party,” he said.
The late Awiti became the MP for Karachuonyo in 1997 on an NDP ticket after defeating Phoebe Asiyo.
He defended his seat in 2002 where he was elected on a National Rainbow Coalition ticket.
Awiti lost the seat in 2007 to the current are MP James Rege.
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