Veteran politician, educator and Working People’s Alliance (WPA) co-founder Eusi Kwayana has died at the age of 101, the party announced in a statement issued on Sunday, jointly with his family.
Known as the “Sage of Buxton”, Kwayana was a prominent figure in Guyana’s independence movement whose political and cultural activism spanned more than eight decades.
The WPA described him as an elder, teacher and mentor who defended vulnerable people and remained committed to the country’s development until the end of his life.
“We give thanks for his life, his wisdom, his guidance and above all, his example,” the party said.
The statement did not disclose the date, location or cause of death.
Born Sydney King, Kwayana served in the original People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and later the People’s National Congress (PNC) before co-founding the WPA in 1974.
He was a parliamentarian and Cabinet member in the 1953 PPP government, and held the posts of assistant general secretary of the PPP and general secretary of the PNC. He also edited the PNC newspaper, New Nation.
Within the WPA, Kwayana served as an executive member and parliamentarian and played a leading editorial role in the party’s publications, Open Word and Dayclean.
The party remembered him as an effective organiser and mobiliser whose integrity and independent thinking remained central to his political work.
Beyond party politics, Kwayana held several public-sector leadership positions between 1964 and 1971, including heading the National Land Settlement Committee and chairing the Guyana Marketing Corporation.
He also chaired committees dealing with cooperative insurance and the conversion of the Guyana Cooperative Credit Society into a cooperative bank.
A leading advocate of African Guyanese cultural consciousness, Kwayana co-founded the African Society for Racial Equality in 1961 and the African Society for Cultural Relations with Independent Africa (ASCRIA) in 1964.
Both organisations promoted cultural awareness, pride and dignity among African Guyanese. He served as ASCRIA’s coordinating elder and adopted the name Eusi Kwayana, which the WPA said means “Black Man of Guyana” in Swahili.
The party urged Guyanese to celebrate his life and contribution to the country.
“Farewell African star, Guyanese treasure and Caribbean wise man,” it said. (CMC)