Kenya’s Ambassador to Qatar Paddy Ahenda is dead. Ahenda died on Sunday, April 3 aged 69, his brother Gabriel Ahenda:
“Paddy was in fairly good health. Last Thursday (March 31), he even communicated with some of the family members. His death has shocked us. We are now waiting for the Government to give us more details about what happened,” said Gabriel Ahenda.
The envoy had been on admission at Doha hospital, and was in the intensive care unit for one week.
His family said he was taken to hospital after reportedly suffering a stroke.
Ahenda was appointed by President Uhuru Kenyatta as the Ambassador to Qatar in August 2018. Qatar said in February 2019 that Ahenda’s appointment was approved by the country on October 10, 2018, two months after President Kenyatta named him as Kenya’s envoy to the Middle East nation.
Paddy Ahenda served as Kasipul-Kabondo Member of Parliament between 2006 and 2007. In the run-up to the December 2007 General Election, Ahenda attempted to win ODM’s ticket through Party primaries in November, but lost to Joseph Oyugi Magwanga, who went on to win the election.
In the last two years, Kenya’s Foreign Affairs ministry has lost three ambassadors; On February 16, 2020, Kenya’s Ambassador to South Sudan Chris Mburu died of heart attack in Juba; On February 19, 2022, Kenya’s Ambassador to Nigeria Dr Wilfred Machage died in Abuja aged 65 after a short illness ; Paddy Ahenda’s death now becomes the third to hit the consulate in a period of two years.
Ahenda, who worked in the banking sector before joining politics. He is survived by a widow, two sons and two daughters.