This archive report was first published on 20 August 2019.
On August 20, 2019, the music industry in Kenya was left reeling in shock after the death of popular Kikuyu musician John De'Mathew in a car crash.
According to reports, De'Mathew had spent the day with fellow musicians and fans of Peter Kigia wa Esther at Metro Fill Hotel in Thika, where they had gathered to raise funds for Kigia's daughter's treatment in India.
De'Mathew had drinks with fellow musician Mike Rua before he drove off, and Rua has since spoken out about their last moments together.
"I spent most of Sunday with him. Just before we parted ways he was crying when I brought something up which I cannot remember since we were partying," Rua said.
Questions have also been raised about why De'Mathew was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, as the airbags in his Nissan Navara pick-up did not deploy.
The incident has sparked concerns about drunk driving and the importance of wearing seatbelts.
