The death of NTV's Ahmed Darwesh came as a shock to many people and he is still being mourned by the whole country.
NTV's Larry Madowo has come-out to divulge information about his life that only his work colleagues knew of.
In a long Facebook post this is what Larry revealed about the late TV presenter;
Let me tell you about the Ahmed Darwesh I knew. Daru, as we all called him was a gentleman in every sense of that word. When I joined KTN in April 2008, he was already at the top of his game and down to earth to a fault. Before I had a car, Daru stayed around after anchoring the 7pm Swahili news until I had finished editing my 9pm business story so he could drop me home. We both lived in South B but dropping me outside my doorstep still took him a little out of his way.
Keep in mind that he was a boldface named prime time anchor and I was a struggling business reporter so I would ordinarily not even show in his radar. If he travelled, he would let me use his car and even leave it fuelled. That was always an excuse for me to join him and his lovely family for beautiful meals whenever I was 'passing by.' Even at work, he paid for too many lunches that I can count, usually at a selection of Swahili restaurants with delicious food I couldn't yet af ord. This picture was taken at Khan elKhalili Market in Cairo.
He had used his many connections and set up a week long reporting trip to Egypt including a tour of the pyramids and Alexandria. You can still see him in part 1 of my report here https://youtu.be/Vttz2geLdq0?t=2m33s. He was a big brother to me in this big city, helping me create a career on television. Even after I left KTN and moved away, we remained fast friends and it was always a joy to see him whenever our paths crossed. I used to tease him about his signature line: 'Wakubwa hamjambo, wadogo mmeshindaje. Hii ni KTN Leo chaguo lako, wanakwetu wananiita Ahmed Darwesh' and he would grin indulgently. Daru was a kind, compassionate and funny man who was a gift to broadcast journalism. I am privileged to have known him.
Rest In Peace, my friend. Shukran
Just like Larry, former Standard Newspaper political writer, Wahome Thuku, had this to say on Ahmed Darwesh’s private life;
Hadn't known about the death of my colleague Ahmed Darwesh untill right now. Darwesh was just a nice, friendly guy who chat up everyone in the newsroom and smiled at us all whether in the elevator or canteen or when riding in company cars or on assignments or when we met in studios or in the small rooms doing our business. Its shocking to hear he has passed on but accept it as Gods will..RIP brother.
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#ChristmasforPurity You are twenty one (21) years and have been orphaned since you were only three years. Except for your two siblings Zipporah 27, and John 24 you don't have any known surviving relatives. All the three of you grew up together in the care of a children's home where your older sister Zipporah is now a full time volunteer. At 21, you have just left the children's home, being an adult, and you are starting out life without a job except secondary school education. It is Sunday, the 26th in the month of July, 2015 when you are suddenly taken ill hardly before you had settled since leaving the children's home. Luckily there is a neighbor, a good 'Samaritan' who offers to rush you to the nearest hospital on a motor bike. At the hospital you are diagnosed with acute ulcers and are admitted to the emergency care ward. After only two days your bill has hit the Ksh 64,000 mark. Your sister secures a support of Ksh 20,000 from the Children's home where you grew up in. Sadly, it is not enough. She requests that you be transferred immediately to an affordable hospital since your condition has stabilized. In the meant time, she reaches out to well wishers to raise the balance. Zipporah knocks on several doors, makes many desperate calls and finally manages to obtain a letter from the area chief giving an account of their background and appealing to the hospital to stop further escalation of the bill. The hospital rejects to consider the Chief's appeal. By this time, the bill has grown to Ksh. 118,000, and the situation is threatening to get worse. Zipporah is directed by the Chief to seek the intervention of the area MP. Negotiations with the office of MP Kajiado North hit a stalemate. However, the hospital management offered Zipporah a discount of Ksh. 12,000 from the bill of Ksh 118,000, bringing it down to about Ksh. 106,000 on condition that she settled the balance before Purity's release. Zipporah was unable to raise the balance. It is now official, and it occurs to you that you are now detained at the hospital. It is in the month of November, almost five months later, and there is no hope in sight. Your sister comes up with a bright idea, or is it? You can offer to work for the hospital without pay if only the hospital can recover their money now well in excess of quarter of a million. Zipporah then approaches the hospital management who don't decline to the offer. However, they need to consult internally and carry out some paper work in the form of agreements. This is likely to take a bit of time but all appears to be going on well. Until on the 11th December, 2015, a day before Jamhuri day, the day when Kenya attained her independence 52 years ago after spending 150 days in detention when Purity Wangari and Zipporah Mugure were struck with a civil suit to pay up Ksh. 395, 914/76 being the debt owed to Nairobi Women's Hospital, and interest relating to the suit. Seven days to Christmas and Purity is still detained at Ongata Rongai pending her appearance in court for inability to raise Ksh. 395, 914/76. #ChristmasforPurity.
SOWED Kenya is appealing to well wishers to join in the efforts for securing the release of Purity Wangari by providing whatever support 'you' can give towards settling the Ksh. 395, 914/76 debt owed to Nairobi Women's Hospital. The support can be given to Zipporah Mugure through her number +254710707651 or arrangements made with Nairobi Women's Hospital in the case of Purity Wangari. A confirmation of support can be copied to Michael Oloo on +254722495492.