The death of a Kibabii University lecturer had moved her family, relatives, and friends when she predicted her death through a prayer message 24 hours before the fateful day.
Francisca Ihongoyi Kimwama, 41, had sent a prayer message through the WhatsApp prayer warriors forum, reminiscing of the biblical Joseph, who also predicted his death via prayer message.
“O Blessed Joseph, you gave your last breath in the loving embrace of Jesus and Mary. When the seal of death shall close my life, come with Jesus and Mary to aid me.
Obtain this solace to die with their holy arms around me for that hour. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I commend my soul, living and dying, into your sacred arms. Amen,” the prayer reads.
That was the shocking prayer message to confirm that Francisca had a premonition of her death.
The next day, she woke up in high spirits, less oblivious that it would be her last day on earth. She prepared breakfast before balancing her cousin’s books at a nearby business outlet, about 1km away.
She left on foot, but a few metres away, she collapsed. Standersby, who witnessed the bizarre incident, rushed her to Zion Hospital in Bungoma town, where she died as doctors made frantic efforts to resuscitate her.
A postmortem examination carried out revealed that Francisca died of cardiac arrest occasioned by a blood clot because of damage to arteries called atherosclerosis.
The current chair of Business Administration and Management at Kibabii University, Consolata Simiyu, said that before that revelation, Francisca had prepared exams before handing them over to her colleagues on March 28, 2025.
Francisca confided to one of her colleagues who had escorted her to their Bondeni residence in Bungoma Town. “From tomorrow, I will not be around. Make sure my students have done my cats,” Dr Simiyu revealed.
“The following day, I received a call from my colleague saying that Francisca was no longer there. What happened? She collapsed, which is the story’s end,” Simiyu said.
Speaking during a luncheon hosted for mourners at Mama Kevin’s Comprehensive School, Simiyu described Francisca as a team player, a comforter, smart, confident, competent, and someone who could deliver, adding that she had a permanent smile.
Simiyu added, “If there is a lecturer Kibabii has ever had, then that is Francisca. She knew how to plan her work. This is to confirm that she made corrections to her end term exams and returned them via email. She also handed over her main and supplementary papers, course outline, and scheme of work.”
In another twist of events, Francisca’s mother, Susan Muhoji, aka Mama Fanta, said her daughter was due to report at her workplace on Saturday at 8.3 pm after some brief work, but she predeceased the scheduled office duty.
“Let’s change ways and follow Jesus Christ as our personal saviour. We don’t know the day or time death will strike. Let’s be ready,” Mama Fanta told mourners.
Family lawyer Elizabeth Chunge said Francisca adopted her clarion call, “The best is yet to come,” because our hope is in Jesus Christ.
Fr Peter Masoni presided over a requiem mass at the Christ the King Cathedral, flanked by Vicar General Fr Julius Oyoo and Fr Collins Mambo.
Francisca, who left behind two children, was buried on Friday at their Isibania home in Migori County.
By Gilbert Ochieng’
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