Pathetic Facts

Kenyan musicians died before 40

Here are 9 famous musicians from Kenya died before 40:

Samson Kitur

Samson Kitur (February 25, 1966 Eldoret-April 25, 2003) was a Kenyan personality.

Samson Kitur was a renowned Kenyan athlete who competed in the 400 meters race. He represented Kenya at the 1988 and 1992 Summer Olympics, winning the bronze medal in the 400 meters race at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. He also won a gold medal in the same event at the 1991 All-Africa Games.

Throughout his career, Kitur won several medals in international events, including a gold medal at the 1990 Commonwealth Games, as well as silver medals at the 1991 and 1993 World Championships.

After retiring from athletics, Kitur worked as a sports administrator, serving as the Athletics Kenya secretary-general. He was tragically killed in a shooting incident in 2003, at the age of 37, leaving behind his wife and three children. Kenya's athletics community remembers him as a talented and dedicated athlete who made an immense contribution to the sport.

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Fazul Abdullah Mohammed

Fazul Abdullah Mohammed (December 25, 1974 Moroni-June 8, 2011 Mogadishu) also known as Abdallah Mohammed Fazul, Abu Seif Al Sudani, Abu Aisha, Abu Luqman, Fadel Abdallah Mohammed Ali, Fouad Mohammed, Haru Al Qamar, Harun Fazul or Daniel Robinson was a Kenyan personality.

Fazul Abdullah Mohammed was a notorious Al Qaeda operative and one of the key masterminds behind the 1998 United States embassy bombings in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. He was on the FBI’s most wanted list and was thought to have been involved in several other terrorist attacks as well.

Born in the Comoros Islands and raised in Mombasa, Kenya, Fazul Abdullah Mohammed was known to be highly educated with a degree in computer science. He had traveled extensively across the Middle East and South Asia and had received training in military tactics and explosives.

Fazul Abdullah Mohammed was killed in a shootout with Somali security forces in Mogadishu in 2011. His death was viewed as a significant blow to the Al Qaeda network in East Africa, and his legacy as a key figure in the global jihadist movement continues to be felt.

Stephen Kipkorir

Stephen Kipkorir (October 24, 1970 Kenya-February 8, 2008 Rift Valley Province) was a Kenyan personality.

He was renowned for his exceptional running abilities, specifically in the 3000-meter steeplechase. Stephen Kipkorir won several international championships during his running career, including the Commonwealth Games and African Championships. In 1993, he set a new national record for the 3000-meter steeplechase, which stood for several years. After retiring from athletics, Stephen Kipkorir ventured into farming and business. He was an advocate for youth empowerment programs in his community and actively supported education initiatives. Stephen Kipkorir passed away in 2008 at the age of 37 due to a heart attack. Despite his short life, he has remained an inspirational figure to aspiring Kenyan athletes.

Read more about Stephen Kipkorir on Wikipedia »

Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan

Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan (April 4, 1979 Mombasa-September 15, 2009 Barawa) was a Kenyan personality.

He was a high-ranking member of Al-Shabaab, an Islamic extremist group fighting in Somalia. Nabhan was wanted by the United States for his involvement in the 2002 Mombasa attacks, in which a hotel was bombed and a plane was shot down, killing 15 people. He was also linked to several other terrorist attacks in the region. In 2009, he was killed in a US Special Forces raid in Barawa, Somalia. Nabhan's death was seen as a significant blow to Al-Shabaab's leadership and operations in East Africa.

Paul Kipkoech

Paul Kipkoech (January 6, 1963 Kapsabet-March 16, 1995 Eldoret) was a Kenyan personality.

Paul Kipkoech was a highly accomplished middle-distance runner, who competed in the 800 meters and 1500 meters events. He first came into prominence in 1986 when he won a bronze medal in the 800 meters at the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh. In 1987, he won a silver medal in the 1500 meters at the All-Africa Games held in Nairobi.

Kipkoech's finest moment came in the 1988 Seoul Olympics, where he won the gold medal in the 1500 meters, defeating a strong field that included compatriot Peter Rono. He followed this up with a silver medal in the same event at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. Kipkoech was known for his smooth running style and impressive sprinting ability, which he used to devastating effect in the final stretches of races.

Sadly, Paul Kipkoech's life was cut short when he died in a car accident on March 16, 1995, at the age of 32. He is remembered as one of Kenya's greatest middle-distance runners, who inspired a generation of athletes who followed in his footsteps.

Read more about Paul Kipkoech on Wikipedia »

Benson Masya

Benson Masya (May 14, 1970-September 24, 2003) was a Kenyan personality.

He was a renowned long-distance runner who participated in various international marathons and road races. Benson was born and raised in Machakos, Kenya, and began his running career in high school. He went on to become a dominant force in the world of athletics, winning several prestigious titles, including the Paris Marathon in 1999 and the Berlin Marathon in 2000.

Apart from his athletic success, Benson was also known for his philanthropic work. He founded the Benson Masya Foundation in 2000, which aimed to provide education and healthcare to children in rural Kenya. Through his foundation, Benson also organized various sports events to promote sports in the country.

Tragically, Benson Masya passed away at the age of 33 in a car accident near his home in Nairobi. His legacy continues to live on through his athletic achievements and philanthropic work, and he remains a role model for aspiring athletes in Kenya and around the world.

Read more about Benson Masya on Wikipedia »

Lamya

Lamya (April 5, 1973 Kenya-January 8, 2009 Oman) a.k.a. Lamya Al-Mugheiry was a Kenyan musician.

Her discography includes: Learning From Falling. Genres she performed: Rhythm and blues, Alternative rock, Dance music, Contemporary R&B and Electronic dance music.

David Lelei

David Lelei (May 10, 1971 Kenya-February 16, 2010 Kenya) was a Kenyan personality.

David Lelei was a renowned Kenyan athlete, who participated in the 1996 and 2000 Summer Olympics in the 1500m race. He won a bronze medal at the 1997 IAAF World Indoor Championships, and a silver medal at the 1998 African Championships in Athletics. Besides his athletic achievements, Lelei was also known for his philanthropic work, particularly his efforts to empower young athletes in his home country. He founded the David Lelei Foundation, which aimed to provide sports training, mentorship, and education to underprivileged youth in Kenya. His death in a tragic traffic collision was mourned by the Kenyan community, and his legacy continues to inspire young athletes in the country.

He died in traffic collision.

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Mbiyu Koinange

Mbiyu Koinange (April 5, 2015 Kiambu County-September 2, 1981 Nairobi) was a Kenyan personality.

He was a prominent politician and one of the founding fathers of Kenya. Koinange played a key role in the country's struggle for independence from British colonial rule. He was among the few Kenyans who were educated abroad at a time when education was not widely available in the country.

Koinange was also a prolific writer and authored several books, including the bestseller "The Kenyatta Succession" which chronicled the events leading up to the succession of Jomo Kenyatta as Kenya's first president. He was also a journalist and worked as the editor of the African Standard newspaper.

Despite his role in the independence struggle, Koinange's legacy has been marred by allegations of his collaboration with the British colonial government during the Mau Mau uprising. He was accused of betraying some of the Mau Mau fighters and providing information to the colonial authorities. These accusations have been disputed by some of his supporters and family members.

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