James Titus Kisia

James Titus Kisia, also known as Mzee Kisia, a mathematics teacher in the 1950s, an author, a prominent businessman based in Mombasa, a farmer and avid student of African history, culture and philosophy, passed away on 02 March 2022. He was 91.

In accordance with his wishes, he was cremated on Friday 04 March 2022 at the Hindu Crematorium.

A celebration of his life and memorial service will be held at his home in Mavindini Village in Wamunyu, Machakos County on Saturday 12 March 2022.

His contribution to Society is incalculable. He was a respected elder and leader in the Akamba Community and was sought out frequently for his expertise in their culture and tradition.

He was a great adviser on matters entrepreneurship and financial investment especially to young people who sought his counsel. He was a well-travelled individual.

His entrepreneurial spirit took him to many African countries in the 1960s, among them Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Congo, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Somalia and South Africa.

A visionary who stayed true to his culture and embraced progressive thinking and action, he often sought success for himself and for others, almost in equal measure.

Mzee Kisia was a philanthropist. He strongly believed that empowering people with skills and knowledge through education rather than money was liberating, and set them on a path to self-reliance and generational change.

He sought to positively influence the lives of many people with his presence, friendship, advice and wisdom. He had a soft spot for the less privileged.

He lost his father at just 5 years of age. The subsequent years would expose the young Kisia to the ravages of extreme poverty because older relatives grabbed the land and other property that belonged to his family.

Under these extreme circumstances he learned from his mother valuable lessons of hard work, sacrifice and prudent use of resources, a mindset that he fervently upheld until his death.

He often warned his children to own their story, get up and craft their future, and avoid ever being ‘a clearing house for complaints’.

In 1959, after being offered an opportunity to study Medicine at the University of Wisconsin, he failed to raise the funds required to get a plane ticket.

It was perhaps this experience that led him to ensure that 14 medical doctors, among them eight who were not his biological children and from less privileged backgrounds, went on to study medicine through his financial and moral support.

The man wasn’t just good — he was great. His legacy is safe in the hands of his sons, his daughters, his grandchildren and great grandchildren, and a host of family, relatives and friends.

Mzee Kisia will be dearly missed by all.