Papa Dennis to be buried today
Award-winning gospel musician Dennis Mwangi alias Papa Dennis will be laid to rest today (Wednesday) at their Matunda Village in Kakamega County.
The musician was found dead two weeks ago after he reportedly fell from the seventh floor of a building in Pangani, Nairobi.
His sister Grace Muthoni said that musician will be buried at their home.
“My brother Papa Dennis will be buried tomorrow (Wednesday) at our home in Matunda along the Kitale-Eldoret highway,” Ms Muthoni told Nairobi News on Tuesday.
Papa Dennis’s body has been lying at the Nairobi City mortuary since his demise. A police statement indicated: “Dennis Mwangi alias Papa Dennis fell from Kirima building a storey in Pangani area of Ngara at around 2330hrs.”
The police statement cited the cause of death to be suicide due to depression. The report was made by his brother Simon Mwangi at 1:30am before the singer’s body was moved to the morgue.
A memorial service was conducted at the Nairobi Chapel on Ngong road on Monday before his body was moved to his rural home for public viewing ahead of his burial.
Funeral planning committees
Already, Kenyans artistes have come together to raise funds to cater for the funeral expenses of the late gospel singer. “There are several funeral planning committees with one here at home and another one in Nairobi and all I can say is that we are looking forward to accord our brother a decent sendoff,” said Muthoni even as she petitioned the police to move with speed and unearth the cause of her brother’s death.
Papa Dennis worked with top musicians including Chidma, Mr Flavour, Korede Bello from Nigeria and Ray C from Tanzania, among others, during his time at Maliza Umaskini. In 2015, he won the Mwafaka Music Awards. In 2016 and 2017 he was crowned the winner of the Pulse Music Video Award. In 2018, he won the Afrimma Music Awards in the USA and 2019 Dear Awards (USA).
Last week, former Likuyani Parliamentary aspirant and Maliza Umaskini founder Sadat Muhindi asked Kenyans to stop speculating about the cause of the tragic death of Papa Dennis.
Mr Sadat, a business mogul, further denied claims that he kicked out the late Papa Dennis out of his Maliza Umaskini, a record label sending the artist into depression.
“It is unfortunate that some people have been spreading rumours that Papa Dennis died of depression but I’m telling them to wait for the police report, which will actually reveal what happened,” said Mr Sadat.
He went on, “It will be good if we all be patient and wait for the police report because everyone is eager to know if Papa committed suicide or not.”
Leaders across the political divide and musicians are some of the mourners expected at the main memorial service at Matunda primary school be before his burial.
@lubangadenno dlubanga@ke.nationmedia.com