Huxley Mwadzoya, 48, was waiting in line at an office across from the Royal Court Hotel in Mombasa around 2 p.m. on Thursday when he received heartbreaking news.
“My daughter had just left for the third term of school. I was there to pay her third-term fees when we received the news,” Mwadzoya said. His 15-year-old daughter, Doreen Idza, is a Form Two student at Kibirigwi Secondary School in Kirinyaga County and a scholarship recipient from the late Hasmukh Patel’s philanthropy through Mombasa Cement Company.
“I was devastated. I felt like everything was falling apart and I didn’t know what to do,” Mwadzoya added.
Patel, 58, passed away at Premier Hospital in Nyali at 1 p.m. on Thursday, shortly after being rushed there. He was pronounced dead on arrival. Tudor MCA Samir Bhaloo noted that Patel had been at home in good health before suddenly collapsing.
Patel’s death raises concerns about the future of numerous charity projects benefiting thousands in the coastal region. Patel’s generosity extended to many, including Rama Menza, a casual worker who relied on the Kibarani Miracle Park for daily meals. Menza is among 40,000 people fed daily through Patel’s program.
Margaret Maluni, who, like 3,000 other families, received financial assistance from Patel for her son’s funeral, was shocked by the news. Patel covered nearly all costs associated with her son Kennedy’s burial after he was killed in Changamwe.
Patel also supported individuals with disabilities, providing aid such as paying rent for jobless PWDs and covering medical expenses. Abulaziz Shekue of the Disability Leaders Forum expressed the community’s deep loss, highlighting Patel’s non-partisan approach to assistance.
In addition to financial support, Patel funded Sahajanand Special School in Mtwapa, which serves over 1,000 students without charging fees, and supported PWDs in sports events.
Patel’s contributions were recognized by social welfare organizations in Gujarat and Kenya. Notably, he transformed the former Kibarani dumpsite into a recreational park, investing approximately Sh700 million in the project. He also supported cancer treatment camps for young women and promoted girls’ education.
Born in 1967 to Dhanbai and Kanjibhai Patel, Patel was the youngest of four siblings. He left school at 17 to work, joining the family business, and later expanded it into Uganda, leading to the creation of Mombasa Cement Limited.
