Leaders Mourn Death Of Former Minister’s Son
John Thoya Maitha, the son of former Cabinet Minister Karisa Maitha, has died.
Thoya, a professional engineer, was mourned by key figures from his home coast, including Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya and Senate Speaker Amason Kingi.
Thoya was a lecturer at the Technical University of Mombasa and Deputy Director of the Renewable Energy and Climate Change Research Centre when he died.
I am deeply saddened by the untimely passing of Eng. John Thoya Karisa, son of the late Hon. Karisa Maitha and Mama Rachel Maitha.
— Gideon M. Mung'aro, OGW (@GideonMungaroM) June 6, 2025
Eng. Thoya was more than an accomplished academic and senior lecturer at the Technical University of Mombasa, he was a dedicated son of the Coast, a… pic.twitter.com/D8jSvpg96n
Even though the cause of his death has still to be determined, Mvurya described Thoya as a prominent academic and senior lecturer.
The CS claimed that Thoya’s scholarly achievements significantly expanded the engineering area and the Blue Economy sector in higher education.
“I convey my deepest condolences to the family of the late Hon. Karisa Maitha and Mama Rachel Maitha on the passing of their beloved son, Engineer John Thoya Maitha, brother to Juney Karisa, Head of Public Communication at the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports,” Mvurya noted.
Aside from his intellectual accomplishments, Mvurya and Kingi praised Thoya’s communal efforts.
The untimely demise of Engineer John Thoya Karisa, the third son of the late Hon Karisa Maitha and Mama Rachel Maitha, has left us all devastated.
— Rt. Hon. Amason Jeffah Kingi, EGH. (@HonAmasonKingi) June 6, 2025
Eng Thoya, who was a senior lecturer at Technical University of Mombasa, was not only an accomplished academic and professional, but… pic.twitter.com/DFMWdMlN30
He advocated for youth empowerment and grassroots development, and Kingi even drew comparisons with his father, Maitha.
“His mentorship and selfless service inspired many young people in his community to pursue excellence and contribute meaningfully to society,” Mvurya stated.
I convey my deepest condolences to the family of the late Hon. Karisa Maitha and Mama Rachel Maitha on the passing of their beloved son, Engineer John Thoya Maitha, brother to Juney Karisa, Head of Public Communication at the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and… pic.twitter.com/gKhgmlE5Va
— H.E Salim_Mvurya, EGH. (@Waziri_Mvurya) June 6, 2025
His father, Maitha, was well-known as a Minister in the government of former President Mwai Kibaki, earning both admiration and hatred.
Maitha, a major Coast politician, ascended from clinical officer to hold two ministries during Kibaki’s presidency.
He first entered politics in 1979, when he was elected as a councillor for Mwakirunge ward, a position he held until becoming Kisauni MP in 1992.
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Following his re-election in 1997, Maitha switched from KANU to Kibaki’s Democratic Party (DP), where he was a founding member, eventually becoming Minister for Local Government when Kibaki took power in 2002.
Maitha earned the infamous nickname “Hurricane” during his tenure as Minister of Local Government for his quick decision-making, which frequently resulted in the dismissal of numerous top officials.
Maitha was eventually transferred to the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, where he died unexpectedly while on the job.
He died on Wednesday, August 25, 2004, from a severe heart attack while on an official trip to Germany. Maitha was 50 years old at the time.
Leaders Mourn Death Of Former Minister’s Son
