David Mwenje Mureithi, who was the Dean of Students at Moi University for three decades and whose career shaped some of Kenya’s most prominent minds, has died.
His daughter Jayne Macharia told Nation that he passed away suddenly on Monday afternoon in Nairobi.
He is survived by his wife, Gladys Wairimu, five children, several grandchildren, siblings, nieces and nephews. His family described him as “a beloved mentor, friend, father figure and employer to hundreds of others”.
The Nation understands that a post-mortem was conducted on his body, showing that he died of natural causes.
Mr Mureithi’s name became synonymous with Moi University, so much so that he got to be known as “Dean of Deans” for being among the longest-serving deans of students in East Africa.
Born on Valentine’s Day in 1948, his journey in education began early. At just 21 years old, he served as the founding Principal of Njoro Girls’ High School in Nakuru, and he often recalled with amusement how he was the only man to stand up when ministry officials called for all girls’ school principals to rise.
He trained as a primary school teacher at Kagumo Teachers Training College before pursuing studies in political science, education and public administration at Makerere University.
He later earned a master’s degree in Administration, Planning, and Management from Mount Kenya University and trained at the Institute of Public Administration and Management in Liverpool, UK, under the prestigious Commonwealth University Senior Staff Development Fellowship. He continued his academic pursuits late into his life, as he was pursuing a PhD in Leadership Management at Maasai Mara University.
Before joining Moi University, he served as the Dean of Students at Thogoto Teachers’ College in Kikuyu.
Mr Mureithi joined Moi University in 1985, just one year after the institution was established by President Daniel arap Moi.
Until his retirement in 2015, he served under six different vice chancellors and watched the university grow from a tiny pioneer cohort of 83 students to a massive population of over 50,000.
Throughout his tenure, Mr Mureithi was celebrated for his unique ability to identify and nurture leadership potential.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale before the National Assembly health committee at Parliament buildings in Nairobi on May 15, 2025.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Among the thousands of alumni he nurtured were Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, former minister and presidential candidate Prof James ole Kiyiapi, Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang, United Democratic Alliance Secretary-General Hassan Omar, former MP Joshua Kutuny, among others.
“He used to say that one day he’ll have one of his students as president,” said his daughter Anne Mwenje.
He also took immense pride in the institutional legacy he left behind, frequently noting that the deans he mentored at Moi University went on to head student affairs divisions at various universities across Kenya.
In a 2015 interview with the Sunday Nation , he said: “I am leaving Moi University a happy, proud man.”
He added: “One day, hopefully before I join my maker, I will witness one of my students assume the highest office in the land. “
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki addresses members of the public when he inspected ongoing road construction in Maara and Chuka Igambang'ombe constituencies in Tharaka Nithi County on September 10, 2026.
Photo credit: Pool
The dream had not come true, but at least Prof Kindiki rose to be Deputy President in his lifetime.
In the interview, he further recalled that managing student affairs for tens of thousands of youth required “strong shock absorbers 24/7”.
His tenure at the Uasin Gishu County-based institution was marked by some of the most volatile periods of university unrest in Kenyan history, including the tragic 1991 protests against the scrapping of student allowances, better known as “boom”, where a student was fatally shot by police.
“There is no magic [to handling students],” he said in the interview. “I would say two things: listening and being calm…When you are calm in the middle of a hot crisis, the students start wondering what is making you calm when the house is on fire.”
Ugenya MP David Ochieng, who was suspended during a 2003 protest and later interacted closely with Mr Mureithi, described him in 2015 as a tactical and enigmatic leader.
“He was the only person in the Moi University administration who would face charged students,” Mr Ochieng recalled. “He had the courage to face us when all had been lost.”
Following his departure from academia, Mr Mureithi ventured into the construction sector where he built housing units for the government.
Numerous former student leaders penned their tributes after learning of Mr Mureithi’s death. Among them is Ann Wanjiku Mwangi, the vice chairperson of the Independent Policing and Oversight Authority (Ipoa). She once served as the vice chairperson of the Moi University Students Organisation (Muso)
“He was a principled and visionary leader whose wisdom, fairness and genuine care for students defined his tenure. He built a culture of dialogue at Moi University, where every student was heard and student leadership was treated as a responsibility. In moments of crisis, he remained calm and decisive,” Ms Wanjiku said in a statement.
“As Vice Chair of Muso, I saw his leadership up close. His legacy lives on in the leaders he mentored and in the values he instilled in us,” she added.
Mr Laban Ondieki, who once served as the Muso Security and Accommodation Director, eulogised Mr Mureithi as a reservoir of wisdom.
“My journey with Dean Mureithi began in the 2010/2011 academic year when I was sworn in as the Director for Security and Accommodation. I vividly remember seeking his counsel, and the first piece of advice he gave me has remained engraved in my mind to this day: ‘As Director for Security and Accommodation, you are the engine of the union. Make sure that whenever you enter into a crisis, you have an exit strategy. Many might be against you, but I will stand by you as long as you are doing the right thing,’” said Mr Ondieki.
“Dean Mureithi was a unique man, socially astute and politically perceptive. He understood people, institutions and the intricate dynamics that shaped Moi University,” he added.
Former Muso Secretary-General Seth Odongo alias Dikembe Disembe wrote on X: “Dean Mureithi was a true friend and mentor to many students, especially the political types like some of us.”
