Mr. James Wuod Maggero, a Kenyan national who has been living in Sweden since the early sixties, has died in Stockholm. Mr. Maggero died at Karolinska Hospital where he had been admitted at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Mr. Maggero, who was 73, has been suffering from a heart problem for a long time.
According to Mr. Clay Onyango, a Kenyan businessman who is close to the family, there will be a memorial service for Mr. Maggero at Silveral Church in Hellenelund, Stockholm, on Friday January 12th 2006 at 15.00 Hours. The family has indicated that it was Mr. Maggero’s wish that he be buried in Sweden. The family has requested everybody to respect their wish.
What this means is that there will be no harambee to transport Mr. Maggero’s body to Kenya. It will be the first time that a Kenyan of Mr. Maggero’s caliber is buried in Sweden.
Mrs Hellen Opwapo, the Chair lady of ODM-KS, has sent condolences to the bereaved family. Speaking to KSB soon after arriving from Kenya where she traveled for consultations with Mr. Raila Odinga, ODM-K Presidential candidate, Mrs Opwapo said that the Kenyan community has lost an important person with great wisdom, charisma and a sense of responsibility. Mr. Maggero is a founding member of the Kenya Swedish Friendship Association (KESFA), an organization which has been instrumental in uniting both Kenyans and Swedes.
Mr. Maggero has been managing several projects in Kenya and since he retired and started spending winters in Ukunda in Mombasa, he has been dedicated to the running of a football team for young boys which he initiated there. He has, in the past, organized several fund raising functions in Stockholm in aid of the football team.
Together with Kesfa and with James as the main driving force, the departed Mzee has helped many handicapped children in Kenya. A key example is Rangala Baby Home in Western Kenya which has been supported by Kesfa for many years. Several schools for deaf children have also been built and supported by Kesfa in the organization’s line-up of projects.
Mr. Clay Onyango, the proprietor of Recemarknadcenter ( a travel agency), has also sent deep condolences to the bereaved family. Speaking to KSB, Mr. Clay said that the loss of Mr. Maggero is very sad and that he will be missed by all Kenyans who knew him.
Mr. Maggero was the original proprietor of Recemarknadcenter before Mr. Clay bought it out a few years ago.
KSB sends its deep condolences to the family. KSB crew knew Mr. Maggero as a very systematic person whose wisdom never failed.
Mr. Maggero was a key player who routinely entertained key personalities from Kenya whenever they visited Sweden. In 1998, he hosted Mr. Raila Odinga in his house when the ODM-K strong man came to Sweden to explain the cooperation between the then National Democratic Party (NDP) and KANU.
The late Maggero died on 3rd February at 1.17 hrs and questions are already being asked by both concerned Kenyans and close friends as to why his death has been kept a “top secret” by the family.
News about Maggero’s death was obtained today accidentally by a Kenyan who had gone to Karolinska Hospital to visit the old man, thinking that he was still alive. “The person you want to visit died on 3rd January”, he was told at the reception after going through routine checks at the hospital.
The late Maggero was on a life support unit at the time of his death. According to information obtained by KSB, the family treats the matter as “totally private” and hopes that there will be no ”outside interference”. Tension is growing within the Luo community in Stockholm amid fears that Mr. Maggero might be cremated.
Mr. Maggero (who was married to a white Swedish woman) is survived by two children and several grand children.
Okoth Osewe
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