Dr Ali Juma, who allegedly committed suicide in Cuban capital Havana on Monday, was jovial hours to his unprecedented death, a relative has revealed.
And before his death, he had planned to travel from the Caribbean on Tuesday (today), to see his Kenyan family. The death came as shock.
The doctor was said to be jovial and looking forward to joining his family back in Kenya before calamity struck.
“What happened in between is still a mystery. His wife was expecting him. He consulted the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) about his journey back home, he was frustrated,” Dr Hassan Ahmad, a relative of Dr Juma, told the Nation in an interview.
The doctor, who was in his mid 30s, was married to Dr Zeyana Rasul, who is still in shock and trying to come to terms with her husband’s death. She was expecting to receive her husband today only to receive the sad news about his demise. Dr Ahmad described the death as a big blow to the family.
But Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Union Deputy Secretary General Dr Chiboza Mwachonda has blamed harsh working conditions in Cuba, adding that the environment was troublesome.
“There are many problems — non-responsiveness of embassy and the Ministry of Health, stipend cannot sustain daily living, internet costs are astronomical, coercion from all sides you dare not walk out of the programme” Dr Chiboza Mwachonda said.
“They are living in one central place, in dormitories which are very far from where they go for training, food is also an issue. There is frustration and challenges, pressure and intimidation,” the doctor said.
The deceased is a brother to Likoni MP Mishi Mboko, who has since received tributes from her colleagues including Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen.
Arrangements are in place to have his remains transferred to Kenya for burial. Owing to his religion, he's expected to be buried within 24 hours but the tradition could be breached due to distance.