A cherished figure among Mombasa residents, billionaire industrialist, philanthropist, and Mombasa Cement proprietor Hasmukh Kanji Patel received a farewell fit for royalty yesterday. To many of the Coastal city’s underprivileged, he was considered a king in his own right.
In an extraordinary series of events, the late mogul was commemorated with a distinctive funeral procession. Mourners had the opportunity to view his body, which was seated on a decorated chair atop a truck that made multiple stops throughout the city as part of the final rites.
Before the procession, his body was lying at the Pandya Hospital mortuary, where it was prepared, dressed in a simple suit, adorned with flowers, and then taken on a final journey to various temples and designated stopovers.
A close relative shared that these were the wishes of the late Patel, affectionately known as ‘Hasu’ or simply ‘Mombasa Cement.’ He wanted to be laid to rest as humbly as he lived, with those he supported walking alongside him. The rituals were also designed to reflect his prominent status in society.
“This kind of burial has never happened in Kenya but in India it’s very common,” said Naran Mepani, a religious leader of the Shree Swaminariyan Temple.
“The late was just not a nobody, he was like a King… that’s why they are throwing flowers at him at different temples. It’s a sign of respect. We have lost a King”.
On the hearse, Mepani was repeatedly seen wiping the face of the deceased with a white handkerchief.
“We always ensure corpses of big people in our community sit in a decorated hearse and make a procession because they are kings. For instance, a priest, those who wear the orange clothes. This is for extraordinary people in our community, to signify their levels,” said the religious leader.
“He was a king to the people, whom we call Raja in our Swaminarayan community. We are giving him his last respects as a king because he was a man of the people,” he added.
The hearse carrying Patel’s body was adorned with flowers, symbolizing the deep love and admiration he inspired. It carried 18 passengers, all immediate family members, and was followed by a convoy of those he had helped during his life. Among them were hundreds of people with disabilities, whom Patel had supported through his charity work, using their wheelchairs as part of his final procession.
The streets were lined with crowds of mourners who came to pay their respects to the late philanthropist, throwing flowers at the hearse as it passed. At the temples, others awaited the body, watching tearfully while some chanted prayers.
His remains were taken to the Shree Cutchi Leva Patel Samaj temple in Nyali, where religious leaders declared three days of mourning in honor of their leader.
The procession also paused at his Nyali home, where close family members and staff gathered to bid him farewell. His house, modest in design, stood as a testament to his humility despite his immense wealth.
Politicians, investors, and dignitaries from Kenya and Uganda, where the tycoon had business interests, eulogized him as a man of the people who had left a lasting legacy.
Among those eulogizing him was President William Ruto, who recalled him as a visionary entrepreneur and respected philanthropist, noting his profound impact on the lives of many people.
“His tireless efforts to serve the needy particularly in education and healthcare sectors served the underprivileged. He constructed schools, hospitals and places of worship,” said President Ruto in a speech read by Blue Economy Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho.
President Ruto praised Patel for creating millions of jobs across various sectors, particularly in manufacturing. He urged Kenyans to emulate Patel’s generosity and selflessness.
Joho expressed his sadness at Patel’s untimely passing, noting that he had known the philanthropist for many years.
In fact during his stint as Mombasa Governor , he approached the industrialist seeking help to transform the Kibarani dumpsite, but was turned away. He persisted, and eventually Patel gave in, pouring over Kshs 700 million to rehabilitate the dumpsite which was an eyesore into a beautiful recreational park.
“But I persisted, I never gave up, we later became friends. He used KShs1 billion to transform the former dumpsite into a recreational facility. But he never boasted that he had done this or that. I admire his positive impacts,” said Joho.
Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir stated that in honor of Patel, his administration will rename a county road and an ECDE school in his memory.
Patel was honored with his final respects at the Shree Cutchi Leva Patel Samaj in Nyali, Mombasa County. Later in the evening, his body was cremated at the Hindu Crematorium on Sheikh Abdalla Farsi Road.
