When news of the deadly Covid-19 virus broke in China’s Wuhan City in December 2019, the world sunk in shock as the virus swept across Asia, Europe and American continents, consuming souls mercilessly.

African continent followed painstakingly, awaiting their turn. Indeed it was a question of when.

On February 25, 2020 Africa reported its first case of COVID-19 in Algeria.

Two and half weeks later the virus struck Kenya. Today, 10 months down the line, the country has lost more than 1, 700 people to the pandemic.

For most Kenyans, the year 2020 will go on record as a year of painful loss.

High profiled Kenyans among them frontline workers including health workers, respected leaders, gifted entertainers, University dons, and people who have inspired and enriched our lives in one way or the other, have all fallen victims of a pandemic that has continued to cause death and suffering around the world.

To lose these people is perhaps a reminder of the fragility of life and a reminder to take care of one another to the best of our ability when we can. But in the midst of feeling sorrow for people who are no longer with us, we should also take comfort in the gifts they gave us while they were here.

Here, Ommydallah.co.ke pays tribute to those who left us in 2020, people who changed the country for the better and helped show us a path forward.

Dr Doreen Lugaliki

Dr Doreen Lugaliki, an obstetrician/gynaecologist, was the first Kenyan doctor to succumb to coronavirus. She was 39 when she died on July 10, 2020.

The mother of two had worked at Nairobi South Hospital caring for Covid-19 patients.

Dr Lugaliki had been admitted to Aga Khan University Hospital on July 5, and was diagnosed with diabetic ketoacidosis, a serious complication that occurs when the body cannot produce enough insulin.

Lugaliki started her career at Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital immediately after her undergraduate studies. She later worked at the Nairobi Women’s Hospital, Aga Khan University Hospital as a gynaecologist consultant.

"Until her demise, she worked at The Nairobi South Hospital. Her pride and joy was helping mothers safely bring forth life,” the family said.

Papa Shirandula

Celebrated TV actor and comedian Charles Bukeko popularly known by his stage name as Papa Shirandula, is another household name to have died from the virus in July 25, 2020.

He was buried at his rural home in Funyula, in Western Kenya.

He reportedly tested positive for the virus a week before and went into isolation.

His condition worsened when he started having breathing difficulties. He was rushed to Karen hospital in Nairobi where he was declared dead on arrival.

The late Bukeko was known for portraying the titular character in the television series Papa Shirandula, which he also created and won the 2010 Kalasha Award for Best Actor in a TV Series.

If there are any characters of a TV programme that had triggered echoes of laughter in homestead across the country, then that is undoubtedly Papa Shirandula.

Throughout the long-running series - Papa Shirandula walked tight-rope in the funniest fashion. He duped his wife into believing that he had an office job.

Whenever he left home every morning he would leave donning his office wear characterized by a dark suit, bright shirt and unusually oversized tie. Perhaps to portray confidence that muffles the systemic lies, he always walks out of the house and walks away whistling.

He would however divert into a bush and change into his trademark maroon suit, as soon as he walks out of sight. He would then straddle his bicycle and cycle off to his real job as a security guard.

Professors

In the same month of July, Covid-19 claimed the life of renowned academician Maurice Wamang'oli who before his death was a senior lecturer at the Department of Electrical and Information Engineering at the University of Nairobi.

The academic giant died at The Nairobi Hospital.

The University of Nairobi further lost yet another lecturer, the renowned Dr. Ken Ouko. Ouko passed away on August 1, while admitted at Aga Khan Hospital.

UoN Communications Director John Orindi confirmed that the renowned lecturer Ouko succumbed to Coronavirus (Covid-19).

People known to him described don Ken Ouko as a soft-spoken and eloquent person who got along well with people.

Hatimy

In Mombasa, nominated MCA Mohamed Hatimy, who was also the ODM party chairman, also succumbed to Covid-19 after battling the virus in an intensive care unit at a Mombasa hospital for three weeks.

Before his death, Hatimy was the chairperson of the assembly’s Finance committee until his death.

He was among the seven MCAs who contracted the deadly virus prompting the closure of the assembly for 14 days.

The Kajembes

If there is a family in Kenya which has known the real wrath of Covid-19, then it should be that of former Coast Politician, the late Ramadhan Seif Kajembe where the pandemic claimed the lives of three family members within a span of just one month.

In the month of July, the late Kajembe’s second wife Aziza contracted the virus and died later that month. She became the first casualty of the virus in that homestead.

Two weeks later August 7, Kajembe himself succumbed to the virus and the politician’s eldest daughter Langoni Kajembe 46 died of Covid-19 at Pandya Memorial Hospital just a week after her father died in the same hospital and a month after her mother’s demise.

The cycles of death in the Coast politicians homestead shook the entire country.

And as family, friends, relatives and Kenyans at large struggled to come to terms with the harsh reality of the third death in one homestead within a span of one month, it became evident that all the three had succumbed to the deadly virus.

Kajembe did not attend his wife’s burial because he was admitted to hospital, just like his daughter was unable to attend his burial and now she has succumbed.

Reports indicate that several family members had been taken into quarantine after their parents contracted the virus.

The tragedy that struck the Kajembe’s is perhaps a testimony of how Covid-19 pandemic can easily wipe out a family within a short period of time.

Just like her father and her mother the late Aziza Kajembe who both succumbed to the pandemic, the late Langoni who was laid to rest at Kwa Shee cemetery in Mikindani also succumbed to the virus.

The family said she had tested positive for the virus late last July and was admitted at Pandya Memorial Hospital in Mombasa where her parents were also admitted.

Two weeks later, the late Langoni would be declared Covid-19 free and she was discharged before her condition deteriorated afterwards prompting readmission.

Family spokeman Mbaruk Juma would say the late was admitted at Pandya hospital on July 28 after developing breathing complications.

She was tested for Covid-19 on July 29, and results turned out positive but after 15 days the doctor conducted the second test and found she was negative.

She returned to the hospital where she was admitted in the ICU after developing breathing difficulties and was further treated for high blood pressure.

The family spokesperson said the late Langoni did not attend the burial of her father who succumbed to the Covid-19 because she was already at the hospital undergoing treatment.

Mustafa Idd

In November, former Kilifi South legislator Mustafa Idd also added to the list of Coast politicians who succumbed to Covid-19, as the second wave of the pandemic began to wreak havoc across the country.

Idd who was also Coast Water Works Development Agency Chairman, was hospitalized at Coast General Teaching and Referral hospital where he succumbed.

He was laid to rest in accordance with Islamic burial rites at his home in Bomani Kikambala area in Kilifi South after Swalatul Dhuhr- 1.00pm prayers.

Family said he fell ill on November 16 and was rushed to Premier Hospital in Nyali where immediate chest radiograph revealed that he was suffering from pneumonia.

Samples for Covid-19 tests were collected for testing and three days later they returned positive according to family.