Makueni County has entered a week of mourning and preparation following the death of Dr Sonia Nzilani, the county’s Trade Executive Committee Member and a widely respected environmental advocate.
The funeral committee announced on Sunday that she will be laid to rest on Saturday, 29 November, at her family home in Makindu.
The committee, chaired by ECM Japheth Mangoka, confirmed that a post mortem to determine the cause of her sudden death will be conducted on Monday, 24 November, at Montezuma Funeral Home in Machakos.
Dr Nzilani was found dead at her Makindu residence on Saturday, prompting an outpouring of condolences from colleagues, residents and environmental groups across the region.
A structured programme of funeral planning meetings will begin on Monday, running concurrently in Wote, Makindu, Nairobi and Masaku Ndogo in Kibwezi, as friends, family and officials coordinate the final rites.
The Office of the Governor has opened a public condolence book at the county headquarters in Wote, where mourners have begun streaming in to pay their respects.
Daily evening prayers are being held at her Makindu home, drawing community members and leaders who have praised her as a principled public servant and a champion of sustainable development.
On Wednesday, a tree planting ceremony followed by prayers will be held in Masaku Ndogo, an event organisers say reflects her lifelong commitment to environmental conservation.
Dr Nzilani, known for her strong policy work on trade, youth enterprise and green initiatives, served in the county executive with a reputation for discipline and rigorous advocacy. Her death leaves a notable gap in the county’s leadership and has sparked widespread calls for continued commitment to the environmental causes she championed.
