Kibra MP Ken Okoth breathed his last after doctors and close relatives honoured his last wishes of not being put on life support.
The legislator, who was suffering from colorectal cancer, died yesterday at Nairobi Hospital at the age of 41, weeks after returning from France where he was receiving treatment.
Okoth’s brother, Imran, disclosed that he had requested not to be put on life support in the event his organs fail.
He made the announcement at a press conference outside Lee Funeral Home in Nairobi, yesterday.
Imran said the late MP was admitted to Nairobi Hospital on Thursday morning and was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) after his condition deteriorated.
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“He has been on chemotherapy and radiotherapy and they really affected his immunity and he suffered organ failure. Ken was admitted yesterday and was later transferred to the ICU and he died at around 4pm today,” he said.
Disappointed
Residents of Kibera gathered outside the funeral home to mourn the legislator.
However, the family said there will be no public viewing of the body and deferred the decision to Saturday.
Riot police were called in to prevent commotion as youths from the late MPs constituency, disappointed by the decision to prevent the public from viewing the body, attempted to bring down the mortuary’s gate.
The scene was raucous - women threw themselves on the ground, some dressed in T-shirts bearing the late MPs portrait, the young men banged at the gate demanding to see their beloved legislator.
“He was the best MP we ever had, our children are in school now and because of him, people have seen that Kibra can be like any other estate,” one mourner said.
Nyaribari Chache MP Richard Nyagaka Tongi and Nyando MP Jared Okello were among legislators who visited Lee Funeral Home.
