Lung cancer has claimed the life of former chairperson of Maendeleo ya wanawake Organization.(MYWO)
Jane Kiano died yester night at around 10.25pm at the aged 74 at the Nairobi Hospital after a long battle with cancer.
According to the statement released by her family read, “She died at 10.25pm after along bravely battle against lung cancer and we are very proud of her…May her legacy continue to inspire young women and girls from all corners of this country. We are sure that she now walks with the angels,”
Ms Kiano served as the MYWO chairperson between 1971-1984 but was recently serving as the organisation’s patron alongside Mama Ngina Kenyatta.
Kiano was the widow of Dr Julius Gikonyo Kiano, a former Cabinet minister, nationalist and Kenya’s first PhD holder.
Born in Tumu Tumu, Nyeri, she trained as a teacher before switching to National women leadership.
She had over 40 years of voluntary public service and leadership in the women’s movement.
Kiano was among other outstanding powerful women honoured for their women empowerment role in the society, such as Ida Odinga, Phoebe Asiyo, Grace Onyango and Beth Mugo.
Kiano, who led a largely quiet life, had previously been awarded the Elder of the Burning Spear Award in 1979.
Besides spearheading women’s justice, Ms Kiano also served as a commissioner in the National Cohesion and Integration Commission, a body which was created after the deadly 2007/8 post-election violence to promote peaceful co-existence among Kenya’s diverse ethnic groups.
She will be remembered for her outstanding work as the Nairobi City Commission deputy chairperson, Alliance Francaise President and at the Council of the Eminent Persons of Murang’a.
She was the Maendeleo Ya Wanawake Organization National Chairperson between 1971–1984.
Later she served as National Council of Women of Kenya Chairperson (1999-2003).
She also served as Alliance Francaise President (1982-2013) and was Nairobi City Commission Deputy Chairperson (1988–1992).
She was decorated for her service with Legion d’ Honneur du France in 2014, Freedom of the Nairobi City in 2006, Elder of the Burning Spear for being an outstanding Woman Leader among others.
Kiano will be remembered for her strong personality and bravely fighting for women’s right and justice her days as the MYWON chairperson.
Many Kenyans including some lawmakers are suffering from cancer however, women are being treated for cancer with higher death rates than men, a cost analysis report at the Kenyatta National Hospital shows.
Latest data shows within a year, there are about 2,223 more women being treated for cancer than men at the hospital.
The report suggests that while normally women are more likely to seek medical care than men, the higher rates of obesity in females may be fueling cancers in this group. A sector performance review by the Health Ministry in October warned that obesity among women in Kenya had reached epidemic proportions. The midterm review of the Kenya Health Sector Strategic Plan 2014-2018 said at least one in every seven women was obese or had a weight problem.
The higher number of women with cancer, the new study says may also be attributed to the use of birth control pills which are associated with the growth of hormone dependent cancers.
The study, published in the Journal of Medical Economics early this month (June 2, 2018) suggests that half of Kenyans would require a full three-year income to pay for a year’s cancer treatment at KNH.
During the study period, 2014-2016, KNH had treated about 10,000 cancer patients 6,279 women and 4,056 males.
In April, a survey by Ipsos Public Affairs found nearly half of Kenyan households earn less than Sh10,000 per month.