Late tycoon's firm resumes multi-million charity works in Coast

Mombasa residents queue to receive food at Kibarani after Mombasa Cement resumed the feeding programme on December 31, 2024. [Omondi Onyango, Standard] 

The family of the late Coast tycoon, Hasmukh Patel alias Hasu, has resumed charitable works that had been suspended following his demise.

On Friday, the management of Mombasa Cement, said it was working with Coast leaders to identify the projects it will support.

The firm's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) officer Mohamed Amir said all other charity works such as the feeding programme have resumed.

He was speaking after handing over four new classrooms, 16 toilets, and computers at Mkwajuni Comprehensive School in Kilifi North constituency.

Amir assured that none of the philanthropic activities, including the feeding programme, distribution of water, and scholarships for students will stop.

He announced that construction and renovation of public and private institutions in Mombasa and Kilifi counties had also resumed.

“You know, many people thought that after the death of Hasu, the programmes would also go with him, but that is not true because our programmes are still ongoing, and everything is on course. Let’s continue praying for the companies of the late Hasu and his sons so that the programs can increase,” he said.

Amir said, the notion that the firm had withdrawn charity programmes was a creation of rivals to tarnish the good work it was doing.

Patel died of colon cancer on August 29, 2024. Mombasa Cement suspended the feeding program in Mombasa and Kilifi until New Year’s Eve.

The firm’s charity programmes included feeding more than 60,000 people and operated the Sahajanand Special School, which catered for 3,000 children.

In Mombasa, the late tycoon reportedly spent Sh300 million per month on community assistance and provided fresh water to Kisauni residents via a tanker.

“We are working with governors Gideon Mung’aro (Kilifi) and Abdulswamad Nassir (Mombasa), and all elected to identify areas we should support,” Amir said.

The head teacher of Mkwajuni Comprehensive School, Charity Mapenzi, thanked Mombasa Cement for overhauling the infrastructure of the school.

“Today we have received a new school in memory of Hasu of Mombasa cement, and they have renovated all the classrooms and built new ones, erected lights, dug a borehole, and constructed 16 toilets for us,” she said.