Covid-19 destroyed 97 per cent of Joe Nyagah’s lungs — Norman Nyagah

Deputy President William Ruto chats with Norman Nyagah during the funeral service of former Cabinet Minister Dr Joseph Nyagah in Kiamuringa, Mbeere, Embu County on December 19, 2020. [DPPS, Standard]

 Covid-19 had destroyed 70 per cent of the late Joe Nyagah's lungs,  his brother Norman Nyagah told mourners Saturday.

 Speaking during the funeral service held in Mbeere South, Embu County, Norman said a chest x-ray confirmed the devastating news and it was done after Joe had been moved from the Covid-19 ICU to the general ICU at Nairobi Hospital.

“Joe had recovered from Covid and that is why he was moved to ICU…My family continued to see him and encourage him but the lungs were completely destroyed.

“The doctors gave the family a choice…either he lives in a ventilator or the family thinks otherwise,” he said.

Norman Nyagah speaking about his brother's burial [Murithi Mugo, Standard]

Adding: “I told the doctors that I am affiliated to over 500 hospitals worldwide…I can actually take Joe to Chennai in India where we can do a bilateral lung transplant and he can survive.”

Two hours later as he was conversing with the doctors, Joe suffered cardiac arrest. He got another attack a few hours later but according to Norman, they lasted for only a few minutes.

It was at this point that he sought help from Bishop Joel Waweru, the Anglican Bishop of Nairobi who went to hospital to see Joe.

The next morning, Norman and his wife rushed to hospital and prayed but the doctors told him that Joe had suffered two more heart attacks.

“I did two things after he died. I shut his eyes and mouth and I was satisfied that I had done God’s will,” he said.

Norman also spoke of how Joe had a close relationship with God and thanked all leaders who stood with them throughout his brother’s illness until his demise.

During the service, Deputy President William Ruto, who attended the function on behalf of President Uhuru Kenyatta, eulogized the late Joe Nyagah as a diplomatic leader who often did the right things.

“Joe was a good man. It would be difficult to not agree with Joe either because he had long years in diplomacy and he was very well educated or as somebody has said here, he was also brought up in church and he knew God.

“We are celebrating a wonderful Kenyan, a person who pursued his leadership career devoid of ethnicity. He always stood where he thought was the right place,” said DP Ruto.

In a speech read by the DP, Uhuru described the deceased as a social, humble, kind and generous leader who carried out his tasks with diligence.

The President further stated that Nyagah’s demise has left a vacuum due to his sense of purpose in everything he did, which propelled him to high positions both locally and internationally.

Joe, who died aged 72, was buried next to his grandfather’s grave facing the hills of Mbeere as per his wishes.