EULOGY OF THE LATE PROF. JOSEPH MWANGI MACHARIA

BIRTH

The late Professor Macharia was born on 11th November 1952 at Kiandongoro forest in Nyeri County

as the third-born child of the late George Macharia and the late Mary Warukira Macharia.

His siblings are: - the late Susan Wanjugu Wachira, Loise Wambui Mugo, Martin Wambugu Macharia and

Grace Wangechi Wahome.

CHURCH

He was baptized in the Catholic Church

EDUCATION AND WORK

He started schooling at Tucha primary school in 1960. He later transferred to Karago - ini primary school

where he sat for his CPE in 1968. He passed well and joined Kijabe high school in 1969. He did his O-

Levels in 1972. Thereafter, he joined the military as an Air force cadet. After his O-level results were released, he left

the military and joined Kianyaga High School for his A-levels in 1973-1974.

From January to July 1975, he was employed at Kiriti Secondary school as an untrained teacher. In September of the same year, he joined the University of Nairobi for a degree in Botany and Zoology and graduated in 1978. He briefly joined the ministry of Agriculture in Kitale before rejoining the University of Nairobi for a Masters in Environmental Plant Physiology between 1978 and 1980. He was employed at the Coffee Research foundation where he worked from 1980 to 1982. He later joined the University of Nairobi as a tutorial fellow between 1982 and 1986. He received a scholarship to pursue his Ph.D. under a split program between the University of Nairobi and University of Essex in Environmental Plant Physiology. He finished his PhD in 1988 at the age of 35 years. He became a lecturer at the University of Nairobi where he worked up to 1992 when he joined Egerton University as a Senior lecturer. In 1995, he went to the University of Colchester for a Post-Doctoral fellowship after which he became an Associate Professor in 1996 where he worked until his retirement on medical grounds in 2019. From 1997 to 2003, he was the Chairman of the Botany department at Egerton University. He has contributed to the scientific world through many publications and supervision of many Ph.D. and Masters Students. He was also Treasurer of Egerton Housing co-operative between 1996 and 2001.

MARRIAGE

In 1976, he married Esther Warau and they had 5 children: George Macharia, John Mwarari, Martin

Wambugu, Mary Warukira and Peter Gakuo.

He was grandfather, father in law and Uncle to many.

ILLNESS

The late Prof Macharia suffered from arthritis and underwent first hip replacement surgery in 2011 at Nairobi Hospital and the second hip replacement surgery at Nakuru War Memorial hospital in 2019 In April 2022, he started complaining of tongue pain and went for treatment at Mediheal hospital where he was later diagnosed with Cancer of the tongue (stage 4). He underwent 36 Radiotherapy sessions at the regional Cancer Center in Nakuru County which he finished on 9 th September 2022. He was recuperating at home and seemed to be improving until Monday 19th December when he started having difficulties sitting up. He was taken to hospital where he was put on oxygen because he had some difficulties in breathing. In the course of his treatment, his blood pressure dropped. He succumbed during treatment at 5.40pm on 20 th December 2022 at the age of 70 years.