Kenya’s first ambassador to the United States, Burudi Nabwera, has died at the age of 99, Cabinet Secretary for Co-operatives and MSMEs Development Wycliffe Oparanya reported. CS Oparanya paid tribute to the veteran statesman whose career included early post-independence diplomacy, senior government positions and parliamentary politics in Kenya.

“I am deeply saddened by the passing away of Ambassador Mzee Burudi Nabwera, a great leader and diplomat who rendered great service to our country,” Oparanya said in a message, on Friday, October 9, 2026.

He said his contributions to Kenya’s diplomatic missions, public administration and politics would live in history.

Nabwera was one of the pioneers of Kenya’s foreign service and had a long career in post-independence Kenya. He was the UN’s first permanent representative from Kenya, from December 1963 to September 1970, before becoming Kenya’s first ambassador to the US.

The Permanent Mission of Kenya to the United Nations said in a statement that his swearing-in as an official member of the mission staff was on December 16, 1963, and that he was the first Kenyan to occupy the post.

Nabwera later served in the government of the third president of Kenya, Daniel arap Moi, as Minister of State in the Office of the President and served as the secretary-general of the Kenya African National Union (KANU), which was the ruling party at the time.

He had a parliamentary career that began in 1988, when he was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Lugari Constituency in the newly-created Nzoia County, and held the post until he lost to Apili Wawire in the 1992 General Elections.

In addition, Nabwera was the chairman of Nzoia Sugar Company, and former Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo spoke highly of him after working alongside him in developing a strategic plan for the firm in 2008.

“I remember him for the wealth of knowledge and experience in the making of the strategic plan for Nzoia Sugar Company Limited. His passing away is a great shock to us in Lugari,” Owalo said.

Nabwera’s pioneering work in Kenya’s politics and public administration and foreign service career spanned decades.

CS Oparanya also condoled with the family, friends, and citizens of Lugari over the death of Nabwera and the shock it has caused to the people. The Cabinet Secretary has yet to give details of the arrangements for the veteran statesman’s burial, despite his death having been announced.