Son of former minister Karisa Maitha dies
The son of the powerful former cabinet minister in Mwai Kibaki’s government, Karisa Maitha, has died.
John Thoya Maitha, a lecturer in the Department of Engineering at the Technical University of Mombasa, was mourned by senior coastal leaders, including Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya, on Friday, June 6, 2025.
Mvurya mourned the late academic as a distinguished scholar whose contributions greatly enriched the engineering and blue economy fields.
“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,” CS Mvurya stated.
“Engineer John Thoya was a distinguished academic and Senior Lecturer whose scholarly contributions greatly enriched the engineering field and the Blue Economy Sector in higher education.”
Inspiration to youth
He also highlighted his commitment to community service, noting that he had inspired many young people to strive for excellence.
“Beyond academia, he was deeply committed to community service, championing youth empowerment and grassroots development. His mentorship and selfless service inspired many young people in his community to pursue excellence and contribute meaningfully to society,” Mvurya observed.
The academic was equally mourned by Senate speaker Amason Kingi, who described him as a staunch advocate for unity, equality and progress in the country.
“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,” Kingi remarked.
Accomplished academic
“Engineer Thoya, who was a senior lecturer at Technical University of Mombasa, was not only an accomplished academic and professional, but also a true student of his father’s political ideologies, built round community service, pursuit of the interests of the people of the Coast region, and a staunch advocate of unity, equality and progress in the country. We have lost a dynamic young man and true leader.”
Karisa Maitha was a powerful coast politician who rose from being a clinical officer to become a trusted Cabinet Minister in the late President Mwai Kibaki’s government.
He joined politics in 1979 when he was elected as a councillor for Mwakirunge ward, a position he held until he became Kisauni MP in 1992.
Following his re-election in 1997, Maitha decamped from KANU to Kibaki’s Democratic Party (DP), and when the former president formed government in 2003, Maitha was named Minister for Local Government.
He was transferred to the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife a year later, and he died in office on August 26, 2004, while on an official trip to Germany.
