Former Nairobi Mayor John Mwangi King’ori will be buried at his Kamiti home this weekend, the family has said.

King’ori died at Nairobi Hospital last Friday where he was receiving treatment for a brain tumour. He was 75 years old.

His third born child, Alex Kimani Mwangi, said on Monday that he was re-admitted on December 27, 2020 and died on January 22.

The family will meet daily at Accra Hotel, which the mayor owned, to make the funeral arrangements.

“We plan to give him his final rest at Kamiti where he bought land for his home. It should be Friday or Saturday this week,” said Mr Mwangi.

The 32-year-old said his father had been sick since March 2020, when the tumour was discovered. He underwent a surgery the same month but fell sick again hence his readmission.

“He is survived by a wife, two sons, two daughters and two grandchildren,” Mr Mwangi said.

Man of the people

Mr Mwangi described his father as a lively person with a good sense of humour and a man of the people who mingled with people of all ages.

“However, he was strict and would reproach you when you were in the wrong. He was also business-oriented and had investments apart from the famous Accra Hotel,” he said.

King'ori's grandchild, Caroline Macharia, remembered him as a black belt karateka.

“He had a gym at Accra Hotel where he trained even while sick. He carried dumbbells to Nairobi Hospital,” she said.

King’ori served as the mayor of the defunct Nairobi City County Council between 1994 and 1996.

He took over from Mayor Steve “Magic” Mwangi, becoming the eighth Kenyan mayor of the capital city. 

He was succeeded by Dick Waweru Mbugua.