Tragedy has struck the family of Ms Grace Wanjohi, a Kenyan national, whose Swedish boyfriend collapsed and died upon arrival at an Airport in the coastal city of Mombasa. Mr. Edlund Jan-Erik, the Swede had travelled to Kenya to wed his girlfriend in a colorful ceremony that had taken a long time to plan. Upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International airport, Edlund took another flight to Mombasa but unfortunately, he dropped dead as he was filling forms at the reception.
According to communication from the bereaved Grace, she went to the Hotel where her boyfriend was supposed to check in but he did not turn up.
“When I got there, the reception Desk informed me that he had not checked in that morning and I said to them that may be, there is a plane delay and that I would check on him later that evening”, Grace wrote in an email obtained by KSB.
That same evening, Grace gave up waiting and decided to return the following day at 14 hrs Kenya Time. When she was informed that her boyfriend had not been seen, she called his number in Sweden to try and establish whether he had a change of plans and failed to travel but there was no response. She then called his cell phone but once again, there was no answer. She asked the Hotel reception if they had heard from Edlund but the receptionist said she hadn’t.
Before Edlund travelled, he asked his girlfriend to buy him a SIM card which he could use to communicate when in the country. When the Swede failed to show up at the Hotel, Grace left the SIM card with the receptionist and gave instructions that if he arrives, he should use the SIM card to communicate to her. Little did she know that her boyfriend was already dead.
When she went to check her email the following day, she found the shocker. Edlund’s son wrote that his father was dead although he gave no details. Disturbed, Grace sent an SMS to the son asking for more details. The son said that he did not know anything about the circumstances but added that it was his sister who was handling the matter together with the Swedish Embassy in Nairobi. He left a message to the son that in case any further details came up, the son should keep her updated.
Grace then left for Nairobi arriving on Monday this week. She went to the Swedish Embassy for more details about the boyfriend’s death but the Embassy informed her that they too did not have much details. She then decided to return to Mombasa to follow the case. When she was in a Mombasa bound bus, the Swedish Embassy called her and asked her if she could help with identifying the body and she accepted.
The problem now is that Grace would like to attend the burial of her late boyfriend in Sweden but the Swedish Embassy has informed her that she needs a letter from Edlund’s family before they can process a visa. Grace has been to Sweden to visit her boyfriend on several occasions. She was last in Sweden in March last year. She has appealed for assistance from Kenyans in Sweden in any way possible so that she can make it to Sweden to bury her beloved. If there is any way you can help, contact KSB.
Okoth Osewe
About the Author
