{{Short description|Kenyan politician (1942–2014)}} {{Use British English|date=January 2023}} '''John Joseph Kamotho''' (5 December 1942 – 6 December 2014) was a Kenyan politician. He held many Cabinet portfolios including Education, Trade, and Environment and Natural Resources. Kamotho was a former member of parliament for Mathioya Constituency and Kangema Constituency.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201209040025.html|title=Kenya: How 1997 Teachers' Pay Deal Was Agreed - Kamotho|date=3 September 2012|publisher=all Africa|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
==Early life and education== Kamotho was born on 5 December 1942 in Gacharageini village in Fort Hall District.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=allAfrica|date=13 May 2002|title=Kenya: Meet 'JJ' Kamotho: the Great Defender of Kanu|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200205130412.html|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|publisher=allAfrica|date=6 December 2014|title=JJ Kamotho is Dead|url=http://nairobiwire.com/2014/12/breaking-jj-kamotho-is-dead.html|url-access=subscription }}</ref> He joined the Muthangari Primary School in Fort Hall in 1948 and sat for CE in 1952. He later joined Njumbi Intermediate School in 1955. In 1958, he sat the Kenya African Preliminary Examination and was admitted to Nyeri High School. He sat for the Cambridge Secondary Education Examination in 1962 and obtained a Division Two.<ref name="Daily Nation Article 1" />
He worked for the East African Customs and Excise as a trainee customs officer in Mombasa and later joined Standard Chartered Bank. He applied for a Russian scholarship and joined the Moscow State University in 1964 where he studied economics but quit a year later. He later got a scholarship from the Institute for International Education, which enabled him to study at Syracuse University in the US and obtained a degree in liberal arts.<ref name="Daily Nation Article 1" />
After finishing his first degree in 1968, he returned to Kenya to teach at the Kenya Institute of Administration. In 1969, he went to study at the University of Birmingham and obtained a master's degree in Development Administration and Social Sciences.<ref name="Daily Nation Article 1" />
==Political career== He was the fifth secretary general of the KANU party from 1989 to 2003.
He retired from active politics after the 2007 elections.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kenyaweeklypost.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4655|title=Former KANU stalwart JJ Kamotho is dead|publisher=The Kenya Weekly Post|date=6 December 2014}}</ref>
In the 2013 general elections, Kamotho ran for the Muranga Senatorial seat but lost to Kembi Gitura.
==Personal life== In March 2013, Kamotho was admitted to Nairobi Hospital for three months. Kamotho's family later flew him to South Africa where he underwent intensive treatment. On 6 December 2014 at the age of 72 at Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa, Kamotho suffered from cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead. He is survived by his wife Eunice Wambui Kamotho<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.africanewshub.com/news/2399076-ex-cabinet-minister-jj-kamotho-buried|title=Ex-Cabinet Minister JJ Kamotho buried|publisher=Africa News Hub|date=17 December 2014}}</ref> and four children.<ref name="Daily Nation Article 1">{{cite web|url=http://www.nation.co.ke/news/politics/Former-Kanu-strong-man-Kamotho-dies/1064-2547482-view-asAMP-qn29x6z/index.html|title=Former Kanu strong man Kamotho dies|publisher=The Daily Nation|date=6 December 2014}}</ref> He was buried on 17 December near his home in Mioro, Murang’a.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2000145137/leaders-pay-last-respects-to-joseph-kamotho|title= Leaders pay last respects to Joseph Kamotho|publisher=Standard Digital|date=17 December 2014}}</ref>
JJ, as he was fondly known, will be remembered for his fiery brand of politics during the 1990s in Kenya.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://business.highbeam.com/3548/article-1G1-86212326/meet-jj-kamotho-great-defender-kanu|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141207175145/http://business.highbeam.com/3548/article-1G1-86212326/meet-jj-kamotho-great-defender-kanu|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 December 2014|title=Meet 'JJ' Kamotho: the Great Defender of Kanu|publisher=Hoghbeam Business|date=23 May 2002}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20141210051649/http://memorial.co.ke/obituary-guestbooks/listing/hon-john-joseph-kamotho-memorial-tributes John Joseph Kamotho Memorial]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kamotho, Joseph}} Category:Members of the National Assembly (Kenya) Category:Government ministers of Kenya Category:1942 births Category:2014 deaths Category:Alumni of Nyeri High School