Ex-Kamukunji MP seat aspirant Ahmed ‘Johnnie’ Ibrahim of ODM dies

Ahmed Ibrahim, alias Johnnie, died on Friday, April 9, 2021. [File, Standard]

Former Kamukunji parliamentary seat aspirant on ODM ticket, Ahmed Ibrahim, is dead, Jamia Mosque official Abdul Bari has confirmed.

Ibrahim, alias Johnnie, died on Friday morning (April 9) at Coptic Hospital, where he had been rushed for treatment, Bari told Standard Digital.

According to the Jamia Mosque Secretary-General, Ibrahim, the worship centre’s Deputy Secretary-General, was battling kidney disease.

“He has been on dialysis for a while. We suspect he succumbed to kidney problems,” Bari said.

Another official at Jamia Mosque, Juma Amir, who is an Imam at the prayer facility, said Ibrahim’s sudden death shocked him.

“Johnnie was not seriously ill. Two days ago (Wednesday, April 7), I was with him at the mosque, and he was very jovial. We have lost a very good person. May his soul rest in peace,” Amir told Standard Digital on phone on Friday morning.

Ramadhan Rajab, who was Ibrahim’s close friend, said he spoke with Ibrahim three days ago after the politician got Sputnik V Covid-19 jab.

“He was very okay,” said Rajab.

“Johnnie was honest. He spoke his mind, and always said the truth. Regardless of your relationship with him, he will tell you the truth, whether it hurts you, or not. He mingled well with people of all social and religious backgrounds,” added Rajab.

East African Legislative Assembly member, Simon Mbugua, who grew up with Ibrahim in Kamukunji, said his old friend had been battling diabetes and kidney problems for years.

“Johnnie was a very good family man. He was also an admired religious leader. We will surely miss him,” said Mbugua.

Ibrahim will be buried at noon on Friday, April 9 at the Lang’ata Muslim Cemetery. His body was taken to Masjid Salama Mosque in South C for burial preparations early Friday.

Ibrahim unsuccessfully ran for the Kamukunji Parliamentary seat on ODM ticket in the 2007 general election. He lost the contest to then-PNU candidate Simon Mbugua.

By Hudson Gumbihi, Collins Kweyu and Brian Okoth