The University of Nairobi (UoN) and Kenya’s wider academic community are mourning the death of Professor Emeritus Jacob Ogweno Midiwo, one of the most influential chemistry educators in East Africa, whose 45-year career shaped generations of scientists and elevated the country’s standing in global natural products research.
His passing was announced on June 8, 2026, by his brother, Dr. Jalang’o Midiwo.
Distinguished academic career
Prof. Midiwo was a fixture at the University of Nairobi’s Chiromo Campus, where he joined the Department of Chemistry in September 1981 as a lecturer. He rose through the ranks to become a full Professor of Organic Chemistry before attaining Professor Emeritus status.
For more than four decades, he remained one of the institution’s most recognizable academic figures, known for his open-door policy towards students and his passion for molecular spectroscopy.
He also served as Director of the Board of Common Undergraduate Courses at UoN, overseeing courses taken by students across all disciplines from 2008. The position placed him at the centre of undergraduate academic policy at one of Kenya’s premier public universities.
Educational journey
Born in Mabinju Village, Gem, Siaya County, in 1953, Prof. Midiwo attended Ndori Primary School before proceeding to Sawagongo High School and later Alliance High School for his secondary education.
He joined the University of Nairobi for a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry, graduating in 1976. He later earned a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of Maryland, College Park, in the United States in 1981.
Contributions to research and science
Later in his career, Prof. Midiwo extended his academic footprint to Maseno University, where he served as a senior professor of chemistry.
His presence significantly strengthened the institution’s postgraduate research capacity in biochemistry and phytochemistry, attracting national and regional collaborations.
His research focused on secondary metabolites found in Kenyan medicinal plants. His published work described the structure and bioactivity of compounds tested against malaria, microbial infections, mosquito larvae, insect pests, and oxidative stress.
Leadership in scientific organisations
Beyond research and teaching, Prof. Midiwo was a committed builder of academic institutions and scientific networks.
He played a key role in the formation of the Kenya Chemical Society in 1993, serving as its first secretary until 1999.
He later became Executive Secretary of the Natural Product Research Network for Eastern and Central Africa (NAPRECA) in 2005 after serving as chairman of NAPRECA-Kenya for four years.
In recognition of his contributions to science, he was admitted as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry of the United Kingdom in 2010.
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He also served as Vice President for the Africa region of the International Organization of Chemists in Development (IOCD) Working Group on Plant Chemistry, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
Lasting legacy
Colleagues, former students, and researchers across Africa remember Prof. Midiwo as a distinguished scholar, mentor, and institution builder whose contributions to chemistry education and natural products research left a lasting mark on Kenya’s scientific landscape.
By Benedict Aoya
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