School principal and aspiring politician collapses and dies in his Kisii home

Teachers, relatives and friends of St. Joseph Nyabigena boys Principal Joseph Obare view the body of the deceased at Christa Marrinne Hospital Funeral Home. Mr Obare collapsed and died in his home a few hours after arriving from Mombasa where he had gone to spend Christmas with his family. PHOTO: ERIC ABUGA/STANDARD

KISII: A school Principal from Kisii collapsed and died mysterious in house on Monday a few hours after arriving in his Bogitoro home with his entire family from a Christmas holiday in Mombasa.

St. Joseph Nyabigena boys Principal Joseph Obare was confirmed dead on arrival at Christa Marinne hospital in efforts to try and save his life.

His wife Agnes Obare who works with the Kisii Catholic Diocese church could not speak to the media but a close family member indicated that Obare died in his bedroom as he was preparing to go and take a shower.

"The wife was already in the bathroom but the husband called one of his children and informed him that he was not feeling well. We had to break the door to get into the bedroom because of its locking system," said the family member.

Obare had declared his interest in the 2017 South Mugirango constituency parliamentary seat and has been a close ally of Current MP Manson Nyamweya had has already announced that he will contest the Kisii gubernatorial seat.

Speaking to the Standard on phone, Nyamweya said that the constituency and County at large had lost a teacher who had uplifted academic standards in the region.

"His leadership will be missed by many. He put the school in national map in 2013 after a wonderful performance in the KCSE results of that year. Many will remember him of this," said Nyamweya.

Obare served as the principal St. Joseph Nyabigena boys after having been promoted from St. Johns' Nyamagwa Boys High School where he was serving as Mr Casper Maina's deputy Principal.

He is credited to have steered the school to higher academic levels with the school having appeared in the top 100 schools national in the 2013 KCSE results.

Sources close to the family told the Standard that a few hours before he met his sudden death, Obare had organized to meet youths from the South Mugirango constituency in undisclosed location.

Chairman, Kisii County Secondary Schools Heads Association Jairus Onchoke eulogized the late Obare as a dedicated servant who was a performer with a number of unique traits that many lacked.

"We will miss him but God has a reason why he had to take him. We don't want to speculate the cause of his death but we ask for respect and patient during this mourning period," said Onchoke.

Kisii School Principal Casper Maina who worked with Obare in 2005 also condoled with the family.

"Have lost a friend and an industrious young man who had dedicated his life in improving standards in our county," he said.