Kitui County women representative and veteran politician Nyiva Mwendwa on Monday announced that she will retire from active politics after her current term ends in 2017.
She said that she will not defend her seat in the oncoming general elections.
“I will not contest for an elective post in the next elections. Having, served Kitui residents for many decades, I have decided to exit the political arena so that I can pave way for young leaders to take up from where I have left,” said Mwendwa.
She, however, said that she will act as a political advisor to other leaders.
She beat Jane Kibati and Winnie Kitetu among other aspirants after contesting for the Kitui Women Rep seat on a Wiper Party ticket.
Nyiva Mwendwa, 74, made history as the first Kenyan woman to serve as a cabinet minister in retired President Moi’s administration. She was appointed as the Minister for Culture and Social Services after the 1992 general elections.
Nyiva Mwendwa was a three-time MP for Kitui West constituency having been elected on a KANU ticket in 1974 and 1992 and NARC ticket in 2002.
However, she lost the seat to Charles Mutisya Nyamai in the 2007 elections after contesting on an ODM-Kenya ticket.
The widow of the first African chief justice in Kenya Kitili Mwendwa, who served between 1968 and 1971, was speaking during the launch of David Musila Foundation in Kitui Town.
The foundation, which was founded by the family of Kitui Senator David Musila, will pay university tuition fees for at over 40 students, who come from poor families, in Kitui County for four years.