County Official Sonnia Nzilani Found Dead At Home
Nzilani gained nationwide attention after she came under fire for making controversial remarks that linked a girl’s death to her menstrual cycle.
Marvin Chege 
Makueni County has been thrown into mourning following the passing of Sonnia Nzilani Musyoka, the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Trade, Marketing, Industry, Culture, and Tourism.
This was confirmed by Governor Mutula Kilonzo Junior. In a statement released on Saturday, November 22, the county boss revealed that she was found unresponsive at her home.
"Until her untimely demise, Dr. Nzilani served with dedication and distinction as the County Executive Committee Member for Trade, Marketing, Industry, Culture & Tourism in my administration. Her commitment to public service and her passion for the growth of our county will be deeply missed," he mourned.
Governor Mutula further remembered the late Nzilani as an accomplished environmentalist and a passionate advocate for tree growing, "earning from the public the affectionate nickname 'Syomiti' for her unwavering commitment to environmental conservation."
Makueni County Governor Dr Mutula Kilonzo Jr. /MUTULA KILONZO
The county government said it would provide further updates as they arise and appealed to the public to respect the family’s privacy during the mourning period.
Nzilani gained nationwide attention after she came under fire for making controversial remarks that linked a girl’s death to her menstrual cycle. The controversy emerged earlier this year during the funeral of a 17-year-old girl who tragically lost her life in a crocodile attack while fetching water from the Athi River in Kithaayoni, Kathonzweni sub-county.
During the burial ceremony on Friday, January 17, Dr Nzilani suggested that the crocodile had attacked the girl because she was menstruating, claiming that crocodiles are drawn to the scent of menstruating women.
“Crocodiles mostly attack women, especially when they are on their periods. The smell produced during menstruation attracts crocodiles. Parents should monitor their children and avoid sending them to fetch water during this time,” Nzilani said at the time
This statement quickly sparked a backlash from locals, advocacy groups, and experts, who denounced the remarks as disrespectful and scientifically unfounded. Many people found the comments to be insensitive and damaging, especially given the importance of promoting accurate information about menstrual health and wildlife safety.
In response to the comments, Governor Mutula suspended Nzilani for 45 days. The county government released a statement days later expressing regret to the people of Makueni and Kenya at large, stressing that Dr Nzilani’s views were personal and did not represent the official stance of the county administration.
Career Background
Sonnia Nzilani Musyoka has built a solid track record in public administration and community-focused work. Until her death, she had served as Makueni County’s CECM for Trade, Marketing, Industry, Culture, and Tourism, a role she took up in February 2024.
Before that, she oversaw Lands, Urban Planning and Development, Environment, and Climate Change as county minister from November 2022 to February 2024.
Since February 2023, she chaired the Inter-County Planning Committee for the Konza Buffer Zone under the Konza Technopolis Development Authority and also heads the Makueni County Environmental Committee.
Musyoka also founded and chaired the Kibwezi Center for Sustainability, an NGO she launched in 2018.
She additionally worked as a Capacity Building Consultant with Qpoint BV since January 2016, supporting organizational development and capacity-strengthening projects.
Education
Musyoka had been pursuing a PhD in Aquaculture at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU) since 2017. She completed a Diploma in Education with a specialization in Project Management from Asean Online Education in 2021.
Her academic experience includes predoctoral training at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in 2016, a Responsible Aquaculture course at Wageningen University & Research the same year, and a postgraduate Marine Conservation program at Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment in 2015. She also studied water sector participation and research methods at Western Cape University in 2015.
She earned two master’s degrees from the University of Bologna — one in Environmental Assessment and Management and another in Water and Coastal Management — completed between 2012 and 2013.
Her earlier training includes Aquaculture Production and Management at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a short program in Aquatic Processes and Applications at IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, both in 2012.
Musyoka holds a Bachelor of Science in Fisheries from Moi University (2001–2005) and completed an online course in Ecosystem Services and Applications at Stanford University in 2014, where she scored 90%.
