NAIROBI — Full of sorrow and disbelief, friends, family, colleagues and environmental advocates gathered at CITAM Karen on Friday to celebrate the life of John Kioli Kalua. Some struggled to hold back tears, pausing to wipe their eyes and steady their voices as they spoke of a man whose absence was already deeply felt. They remembered him not only as a husband, father and brother, but also as a committed environmentalist, climate-change champion and public servant whose work touched communities and institutions far beyond Kenya.
The memorial service came just four days after Kioli’s sudden death on September 28, 2026, bringing together people who had known him in different seasons of his life and whose tributes painted a picture of a man deeply committed to people, the environment and the causes he believed in.
For many who spoke at the service, Kioli’s death represented more than the loss of a family member or colleague. It was the sudden end of a career that had been devoted to environmental conservation, climate policy, clean energy and community development.
The family had announced that Kioli died after a sudden asthma attack while attending to his usual activities in Nairobi’s central business district. His brother, Dr Isaac Kalua Green, said the attack came unexpectedly and that efforts were made to obtain an inhaler, but Kioli died before help could arrive.
At CITAM Karen, however, the emphasis was less on the circumstances of his death and more on the life he had lived.
Again and again, those remembering Kioli returned to the qualities that had defined his relationships with people: his generosity, commitment, humility, willingness to share knowledge and his determination to make a difference.
A family remembering a husband, father and brother
At the heart of the memorial was a family mourning a man whose professional achievements were only one part of his identity.
Kioli was the son of the late Bishop David Nguli Kalua and Deborah Kavuu Kalua. He was married to Victoria Ndinda Kioli and was a father to Debra Kavuu and Adora Kavengi.
For his family, his public accomplishments could never fully capture the man they knew at home.
He was a husband and father before he became a name associated with climate policy. He was a brother, son, relative and friend whose absence would be felt in ordinary moments as much as in professional spaces.
Those close to Kioli described a man whose influence was often expressed through personal relationships. His ability to connect with people, offer counsel and give his time freely became part of the memories shared about him.
His family also carried the memory of a man shaped by faith and the example of his late father, Bishop David Kalua.
An earlier family tribute to Bishop Kalua records Kioli reflecting on his father’s influence, saying that the family had been changed by his life and that they were better people because he lived.
A champion of the environment
Beyond the family circle, many of the tributes to Kioli have centred on his environmental work.
He served as Executive Director of the Green Africa Foundation and chaired the Kenya Climate Change Working Group. He was also a commissioner with the Nairobi Rivers Commission, where his experience in climate policy, environmental governance and sustainability became part of Kenya’s wider effort to restore and protect Nairobi’s river systems.
His career in environmental and climate work stretched for more than two decades.
Public records show that Kioli was involved in climate-change and environmental policy at both national and county levels. He contributed to the development and implementation of climate policies and participated in discussions around renewable energy, environmental conservation and climate resilience.
For Kioli, environmental issues were closely connected to people’s everyday lives.
Climate change meant more than changing weather patterns. It affected livelihoods, food security, energy access, health and the ability of communities to withstand disasters.
That perspective was reflected in tributes from colleagues who remembered him as someone who believed that environmental policy had to ultimately serve people.
The Alliance of Civil Society Organisations for Clean Energy Access, where Kioli served on the board, described him as a champion of civil society who contributed to the organisation’s growth and development.
The coalition also remembered his belief in collective action, local leadership and meaningful participation in shaping development.
Those words capture an important part of Kioli’s professional legacy.
He was not simply an advocate for environmental causes. He was involved in building institutions and networks intended to carry those causes forward.
A man who shared knowledge
Colleagues remembered someone who was willing to engage, explain, advise and listen.
The ACCESS Coalition said his contribution went beyond boardroom discussions. It recalled how he shared his time, knowledge, networks and perspectives as the organisation strengthened its membership and amplified the voice of civil society in energy-access and development conversations.
That description offers a glimpse into the kind of professional Kioli was.
His influence was not necessarily measured by the number of positions he held, but by the people and institutions he helped strengthen.
His work on climate and energy
He worked on climate change, energy access, renewable energy and environmental policy.
Parliamentary records show that he was approved in 2023 as a member of the National Climate Change Council representing civil society organisations.
Through his involvement in climate and energy networks, he contributed to conversations about how Kenya could respond to climate change while expanding access to affordable and sustainable energy.
The ACCESS Coalition remembered his understanding that energy access was ultimately about people and communities having opportunities to live, work and thrive.
It is a perspective that helps explain why Kioli worked across several areas rather than limiting himself to one environmental issue.
His final public role
Kioli’s appointment to the Nairobi Rivers Commission placed him at the centre of one of Nairobi’s most visible environmental challenges.
The commission is tasked with efforts aimed at restoring the city’s rivers and addressing problems including pollution, encroachment and degradation of riparian areas.
His experience in climate policy and environmental governance was therefore directly relevant to the work.
His death came while he was still active in public environmental conversations.
For colleagues at the commission, the loss was particularly difficult because it came so suddenly.
The Nairobi Rivers Commission described his death as sudden and unexpected and asked the public to keep his family and friends in their thoughts and prayers.
At the memorial, his work with the commission formed part of a larger story about a man who continued to serve even as his career entered a new chapter.
A legacy bigger than a job title
One of the strongest impressions from the tributes to Kioli is that his legacy cannot easily be reduced to one organisation or position.
He was a Green Africa Foundation leader.
He was a climate-change advocate.
He was involved in clean-energy conversations.
He served on national climate institutions.
He became a Nairobi Rivers commissioner.
For the wider climate movement, he was part of a generation of Kenyan environmentalists who helped move climate change from a specialised subject into mainstream policy and development discussions.
A final farewell
The memorial service at CITAM Karen was not simply an occasion of mourning.
It was a gathering of people trying to make sense of a life that ended suddenly but left a considerable body of work behind.
Gratitude for an environmentalist who spent decades working on questions that will remain important long after his passing.
He will be laid to rest on Monday at his rural home in Unyaa Village, Kitui County.
About the Author
