32 Facts About James Nyamweya

James Nyamweya 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.

James Nyamweya 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.

James Nyamweya received a Bachelor of Laws degree from King's College London in 1958.

James Nyamweya served as the MP of the Nyaribari Constituency from 1963 to 1976, representing the KANU party.

James Nyamweya enrolled in a correspondence course through which he pursued his secondary education, culminating in obtaining the Cambridge School Certificate.

James Nyamweya gained admission to Kings College at the University of London for undergraduate studies, where he obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1958.

James Nyamweya was called to the Bar in Lincoln's Inn in 1959 and became Barrister-at-Law in the same year.

James Nyamweya elaborated on the difficulties and intimidation African freedom fighters were encountering as they articulated the desires of African people to shed the chains of bondage in the trial.

James Nyamweya was one of the pioneer KANU leaders who drafted the initial KANU constitution.

James Nyamweya eventually ran for elections alongside Lawrence Sagini, Thomas Mongare, Zephaniah Anyieni, among others.

James Nyamweya was a son of a pioneer Christian father, Pastor Paul James Nyamweya, who was born in a religious home and schooled in mission institutions in Nyanchwa and Kamagambo.

Mokamba was stunned when James Nyamweya volunteered to use his considerable influence in government to secure him a prime public service job.

James Nyamweya is renowned for being the first to introduce Harambee schools in Kisii, mainly to stop students from the area travelling all the way to Bugema, Uganda to seek secondary education.

Consequently, when Mzee Kenyatta received information that Seventh Day Adventist fanatics in Kisii were uprooting tea plants in the belief that the crop was ungodly, the President turned on to James Nyamweya to go and plead with the fanatics to stop engaging in such retrogressive activities.

James Nyamweya was the Minister for Labour when KNUT Kisii branch officials approached him for advice and assistance to obtain resources to implement the project.

James Nyamweya persuaded the teachers' union branch to use the salary check-off system to collect the money required and personally ensured that the system was duly approved by the authorities concerned.

James Nyamweya entered the race and emerged a KANU winner a seat he retained for 16 years.

When James Nyamweya later moved to the Ministry of Labour, he used his legal background extensively succeeding in transforming the Ministry into one of the best performing at the time.

James Nyamweya led discussions aimed at developing an employment tripartite structure and articulated the country's concerns at both local and international fora.

James Nyamweya made informed interventions and legal briefs, which assisted immensely in the development of comprehensive legal instruments.

James Nyamweya was exceptionally good at ensuring that each lay draft was clear on the spirit of the proposed Act, which enabled the Attorney General's chambers to finalize draft bills emanating from his ministry quicker.

James Nyamweya adopted a focused and articulated manner of reporting during the organisation's forums, and expression of the position of the Kenya government, and offered well thought out explanations on which conventions Kenya was able to ratify or was in the process of ratifying, and the hurdles the country was experiencing.

At the time Mzee Kenyatta passed on in 1978, James Nyamweya was Minister for Labour.

All those who were privileged to work with James Nyamweya describe him as a warm-hearted individual, a good friend to all, and morally upright.

James Nyamweya's actions were clear testimony to his expressed firm believe that in any competitive situation there shall be winners and losers and, therefore, once the best man or woman has won an election life must continue.

Sagini's driver often picked up the boys, while James Nyamweya's driver took the girls as they travelled to Kisii for school holidays.

Joyce James 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.

Tom Mboya and James Nyamweya sat in the dining room and during their consultations; only Joyce went in to deliver tea.

James Nyamweya was later to serve as National Vice-Chairman with Mwai Kibaki as Chairman.

James 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.

James Nyamweya's son became Secretary General of the Democratic Party and later formed Party of National Unity with President Mwai Kibaki and subsequently became party National Vice-Chairman and nominated Member of Parliament.

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