Joseph James Mungai may not be a renowned name to Kenyans, but to Tanzanians, The late Mungai is a celebrated former minister and former Member of Parliament who rose to national leadership before getting to his thirties.
During the launch of the BBI report at Bomas of Kenya on November 27, Tanzania’s Foreign Affairs Minister Palamagamba Kabudi highlighted Mungai as a Kenyan born in Kiambu County who rose to the rank of a minister at only 30 years of age.
“There were people born in Kiambu who came to Iringa, Tanzania to work in tea plantations and Mungai’s parents were among them. Mungai was a young energetic man who rose to fame at a very early age,” remarked Kabudi.
“In 1972, Tanzania’s founding father Mwalimu Julius Nyerere appointed Mungai as Minister for Agriculture at a tender age of 30 years. The appointment was made in his absence as he had flown to Canada for post-graduate studies but later resumed to assume his new duties,” added Kabudi.
He further explained that Mungai would always be in touch with his family back in Gichungo Village, Kiambu County. Some of his siblings include Njoroge Mungai who was the personal physician of the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta and former army general Paul Mungai.
“On his way back to Tanzania from Canada, he had to pass through Kiambu where he was welcomed by his brothers Njoroge Mungai and Paul Mungai before heading to Tanzania,” remembered the foreign minister.
According to Tanzania’s publications, Mungai was born on October 24, 1943, to the late James Mungai and late Marigeritta Semalangalita and grew up at Iringa, Mufindi region.
He was educated at Malangali Primary school and selected as the best pupil at Tabora Government Secondary School.
He was later sent to St Michael’s and St George’s School at Iringa, gaining his Cambridge school certificate in 1964.
Mungai would later be appointed as Minister for Education, an appointment that he served for long under President Julius Nyerere who left office in 1985. He also served as an MP for North Mufindi Constituency.
He died on November 8, 2016, and was accorded a state burial in Mufindi attended by among others President John Pombe Magufuli.
