This archive report was first published on 5 August 2020.
Dr Ken Ouko, a distinguished sociologist and University of Nairobi lecturer, left an indelible mark on the academic world before his untimely death on August 1, 2020.
According to sources, Dr Ouko had been treated at the University of Nairobi clinic on July 17, 2020, and discharged, but his condition worsened, and he was later admitted to Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi.
He tested positive for COVID-19 and was put on oxygen, but his condition continued to deteriorate, and he was eventually taken to the ICU. His family was informed that his lungs were extensively damaged, and his kidneys had failed, requiring dialysis.
Dr Ouko's outstanding career spanned over two decades, during which he rose through the ranks to become a respected sociologist. He also served as a regional coordinator for the WHO Collaborating Centre for Adolescent Health (CRAH) for three years.
Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha, who was Dr Ouko's vice-chancellor for 10 years, remembered him as a tactful and sympathetic individual who always represented the needs of females in academia.
Dr Ouko's passing was met with an outpouring of tributes from his colleagues and students, who remembered him as an outstanding scholar who simplified complex concepts using real-life examples.
He will be deeply missed by his family, including his wife and four children, who will lay him to rest on August 7, 2020, in Kamuma, Nyandiwa village, Homa Bay County.
