Joe Kadenge was slated to travel to Cairo, Egypt to cheer Harambee Stars. He could not make it.
Retired Harambee Stars goal keeper Mahmoud Abbas said he was too sick to fly at the time.
Abbas, together with other football fanatics visited him at Nairobi Hospital where he was being treated for stroke about a month ago.
"He was in a bad state. He reached a point he could not talk anymore,” said Abbas.
Kadenge, 84, died at Meridian Hospital in Nairobi West. His family says he was at his home in Mariakani estate, Nairobi.
Kadenge is said to have had a relapse of the stroke early in the morning which made his family rush him to hospital.
He died at 11am. His body was later moved to the Lee Funeral Home.
Clifford Riang'a, a family friend said Kadenge had been going through some tough times in the recent past.
"He was recuperating well for one and half month he has been out of hospital. At times he would show some signs he was recovering but I guess today was just not that day," said Riang'a.
Riang'a said Kadenge's sickness has taken a toll on his family.
"In the last two months, it has been financially and emotionally straining," said Riang'a.
Kadenge's son, Oscar Kadenge destined his father as a great man.
"We have lost a great man. I am not able to say much right now but he has left a big gap," said Oscar.
Those who interacted with Kadenge have eulogised him as an honest man.
BBC journalist John Nene who authored Kadenge’s autobiography Joe Kadenge: The Life of a Football Legend recalls of the late’s high level of integrity.
When he came back from Sudan in 1965, Kadenge vowed not to play for Kenya ever again. Though he did not reveal the reason back then, he disclosed in the book, launched in 2015 by Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
“He said he was annoyed with the behaviour portrayed by his football mates. One of his teammates had stolen a 007 underpants of his colleague. He was so upset. He could not stomach that. He said he also saw colleagues stealing bed sheets,” said Nene.
Apart from the 1965 incident, other noticeable memories of the fallen star is during the 1958 match between Kenya and Uganda where he dribbled the ball past all Ugandan players including the defenders and scored at City Stadium.
Nene said this is the year the star in Kadenge was born.
Nene said Kadenge was eager to have the book out in 2010 to coincide with the World Cup tournament to which he had been invited to attend in South Africa.
It was however launched in 2015.
Nene describes Kadenge’s death as sad, as the two lived in the same estate Mariakani and said following the news of his demise, it is when people are eager to read the book.
“Kadenge had to have a history for people to recall. He was like our very own Pele or Maradona of Argentina,” said Nene. “In Africa, when you are dead is when you become important.”
Unfortunately, as Abbas, who is one of the celebrated Harambee stars goal keepers, Kadenge has left with nothing to show for his dedication and sacrifice for the nation.
“As we are taking now we have received nothing from the government. But now we will see people coming out with praises that Kadenge was a good person. Our government said seven years ago that we will be looked after but nothing,” said Abbas.
