Beatrice Adenga, the widow of the late revered TV actor Charles Bukeko, better-known as Papa Shirandula, has revealed the last moments of his life including how he passed away.
Speaking during a brief burial ceremony on Monday, July 20, Adenga blamed the hospital's lack of action for the death of her husband.
She noted that in the three weeks preceeding his death, Bukeko had been out working and would barely make it back home before he returned on Sunday, July 12, complaining of a cold.
On Monday, the deceased visited the hospital and requested for three tests for Pneumonia, Malaria and Covid-19 but the hospital reportedly only carried out one test.
"On Sunday, he revealed that he was experiencing cold. On Monday, I told him to make sure they carry out three tests at the hospital including pneumonia, malaria and Covid-19, because he had been mingling with many people.
"On Wednesday, he told me that 'all the results are back but I am only seeing Covid-19'," she stated.
His breathing worsened on Friday and on Saturday morning, Adenga revealed that she decided to take him to the hospital but due to delays, she revealed, that Bukeko would pass away in the car.
"On Friday, I observed the breathing had changed and Saturday, we took him to the hospital and we went to Karen. Admission was another process... He passed on sitted in the vehicle, he was not even admitted. I wish the doctors had done all the tests," she explained while wondering why the doctors did not carry out the three tests as her husband had requested.
She also explained that the three tests were necessary since Bukeko had interacted with many people making him susceptible to the Covid-19 virus while the cold weather in Nairobi increased the risk of contracting pneumonia and Malaria.
Speaking at the funeral, Bukeko's mother Valeria Wafula disclosed that he was not aware of his illness until Saturday when her grandson called her.
"I did not know that he had any ilnesses. I received a call from my grandson that he was in hospital at 9 a.m. and then I received another one from the grandson telling me he had passed away. My son was our breadwinner," she stated.
His father Cosmas Bukeko, on the other hand, disputed that his son had died of Covid-19 demanding an explanation from the hospital.
"For now l cannot say anything about his illness until we sit with the hospital. I will travel to Nairobi and together with his wife, we shall engage a lawyer to get proper information from the hospital," he stated.
Bukeko died on the morning of Saturday, July 18 with the family noting that he faced sudden breathing complications before being rushed to Karen Hospital where he passed on.
He was buried at his home in Busia County on Monday, July 20.
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