Popular cartoonist Joshua Nanjero dies in Nairobi at 50

Celebrated cartoonist Joshua Nanjero is dead. He was 50.

Mr Nanjero, who worked with the Standard Group, was found dead inside his house on Friday, after initial efforts by his supervisors and colleagues at work to reach him proved futile.

According to police reports, the cartoonist was found inside his house in Kayole after a caretaker at his apartment raised the alarm over a strange and foul smell that was emanating from the house.

The caretaker is said to have filed the report with the police on Tuesday, after which officers went to the scene and found the cartoonist’s body lying on the floor.

A post-mortem report showed he had a clot in his brain and his lungs had collapsed.

Mr Nanjero’s brother, Silas Kuya, told the Nation that the cartoonist, who had hypertension, had, prior to his death, not exhibited any signs of illness, and that his death had come as a shock to the family and his friends.

Haemorrhage

“My brother had lived a normal life. I even spoke to him by phone on November 17. The post-mortem report revealed that he had a haemorrhage in the brain which was a sign of stroke and a collapsed lung which was a sign of an acute lung infection,” Mr Kuya said.

The cartoonist is survived by his wife and three children.

Mr Kuya said that they had settled on December 4 as the tentative burial date for the cartoonist. The burial will be held in Kakamega County.

Kenya Editors Guild President Churchill Otieno condoled with the family of Mr Nanjero, together with that of veteran science journalist Gatonye Gathura, whose body was discovered in Naivasha.

“Kenya Editors Guild sends its deepest condolences to the two families and wishes them comfort and strength,” said Mr Otieno.