This archive report was first published on 20 September 2019.
Mwangi Mathai, the former husband of late Kenyan Cabinet Minister Prof. Wangari Maathai, has passed away.
According to an obituary published in the Daily Nation on September 18th, 2019, Mwangi's death was announced by his family without providing details on how and when he passed away.
Prof. Wangari Maathai married Mwangi in 1969, and they had three children before divorcing in 1979. In her book 'Unbowed: One Woman's Story', Prof. Maathai recalled the surprise of her husband's decision to end their 10-year union.
Prof. Maathai wrote that Mwangi accused her of adultery, causing his high blood pressure, and being cruel. He also claimed that she was 'too strong-minded for a woman' and that he was 'unable to control her'. Prof. Maathai died on September 25th, 2011, at the age of 71.
Mwangi served as the Lang'ata Member of Parliament between 1974 and 1979. He also authored a book titled 'Beyond Poverty and Vulnerability in Kenya' in 2016 and was listed as the Managing Director of Matraco International Limited, a company dealing with soap products.
