Nairobi News

A Kenyan man who moved to the United States in early 2000 was on Friday found dead in his home in Missouri.

Mr Jacob Simatwa, who was born in Endebes in Kitale, won an athletic scholarship and moved to the United States.

Mr Simatwa lived in the same house with a Congolese friend, but the cause of his death remain unclear.

After his death, his body stayed unclaimed in the mortuary until an inquiry about his whereabouts was made from Kenya.

“The arrangements to bring his body back to Kenya are ongoing and we don’t want to speculate anything as the police are still investigating the matter,” said Mr Joel Kipnusu, Simatwa’s longtime friend from Iowa who is currently coordinating the funeral arrangements.

There was speculation that he died from complications associated with heavy alcohol drinking, but Mr Kipnusu has refuted the claims.

“I have spoken to those who were with him and I didn’t get any indication that he was drunk on the night that he died,” said Kipnusu.

BURIAL ARRANGEMENTS

Already, two Whatsapp groups have been created and people are making contributions towards his burial arrangements.

“We are appealing to the Kenyan community and well-wishers in the US to assist in raising funds to send Jacob’s body back to Kenya,” Kipnusu added.

Since he was jobless, Simatwa neither had an insurance cover nor any personal savings in the bank.

According to Kipnusu, the funeral budget is Sh1,700, 000 ($17,000), an amount which will cover burial and funeral expenses from the USA to Kenya.

The deceased was a pacemaker in the US even as it emerges that he struggled for long to get a stable job.

Kenyans in the US are expected to hold a memorial service at Christ Covenant Church 3465 Shackelford Rd, Florissant on February 2, 2020.