David Kongo: ‘When I die, cremate me, use the ashes to plant a tree’

 “When I die, cremate me, use the ashes to plant a tree” was businessman David Kimani Kongo’s last wish. At 2.30pm on Thursday, five days after his death, a tree was planted in Dagoretti. And the ashes it was planted with was his.

On the choice of venue for the event, Dagoretti Mutuini village home was always a place he knew as home when alive. In death, he wished part of him to grow in a tree – and his family honoured just that.

Kongo is survived by his wife, Nancy, and three children – Kongo, Ndiang’ui and Peninah.

Known within his circles and community as a philanthropist, Kongo was celebrated as a man who “immensely” impacted people’s lives, garnering himself names like chairman –a colloquial expression for a person considered wealthy and generous.

“He may have gone to church a few number of times than most of you here,” a mourner eulogised him. “But he was a man with a warm heart. He touched everyone’s lives around him.”

Entrepreneurial skill

His son, Ndiang’ui, remembered him as an endlessly curious father, always resolute with his decisions, and a man never afraid to speak his mind, especially on matters of faith.

He was baptised at PCEA Gitima church in 1972 but over the years, his faith in God waned. According to his friends, he was a man who always disputed religion until his sunset days. But one time, he had asked a nurse who was attending to her in the ward to pray for him, an indication that he had finally changed his hardline stance on religion – and acknowledged the place of religion in one’s life.

Even so, “he had done a lot of work in churches across the country,” the eulogy read.

Described as witty and jovial and with a gift of the gab, Mr Kongo was a jack of all trades, according to the family and friends at the sendoff service, but his entrepreneurial skill was unmatched.

From a little, adventurous “village boy” to a renowned entrepreneur in Nairobi, Kongo’s lifetime was a roller-coaster ride. His quest for financial stability caused a hoo-ha. At some point he even found himself behind bars.

And, he lived a liberal life. But not without a twist of drama and controversy. According to Mr Omar Habib Kongo, his friend and namesake was once accused of supplying chalk to the City Council. These he dismissed as rumours during the funeral service.

Supplying chalk

“A lot has been said about Kimani Kongo. How good he was... But I want to remove some perception from outside there,” Mr Habib said. “When I was made a chairman for Nairobi, Kongo was accused of supplying chalk. Kimani never supplied anything called chalk... How these rumours came around and anything else, I can’t understand. Kimani was a straight [forward] businessman.”

Mr Habib further clarified why he once was a witness in a case where Kimani was jailed for three years. But Mr Habib believes his friend was exonerated because he was innocent. He said: “[One] evening, there was a scenario that resulted in the death of an individual. Unfortunately, because we share the same name as Kimani Kongo, I was arrested. I want to say, Kimani was jailed for three years because during that time, murder did not have bail. He was jailed for three years for something he did not do.”

Kimani Kongo walked into City Hall in 1988, defunct City Council of Nairobi offices, to bid for a tender, he found himself a wife who worked at the procurement department –and bagged the tender too. But how they blurred the lines still amazes his wife.

“I have no clear recollection of how this working relationship led to our wedding and the blessings of three beautiful children,” his wife Nancy said. “As you walked in, I could tell life had not been kind to you.”

“But the determination, the resolve in your eyes was loud; a clear statement that you intended to make it in life,” she added.

At 59, his daughter Penina said he was keen to celebrate his 60th when still alive. But his life gave way to death. “He fought really hard not to go to hospital this last time. He knew what was to come and helped us prepare,” she said.

Born in 1962, he, as a man, had wishes. While some wishes are attained in life, Kongo’s dream of living on was only achievable in death.

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