[HOLD, FOR BALANCE] Kenyan student's family calls for probe into his mysterious death in Tanzania

The family of a Kenyan student who died under mysterious circumstances during a school trip in Tanzania has poked holes into reports received so far and demanded a thorough investigation.

Brian Rajab was a 27-year-old second-year student pursuing an advanced diploma in marine engineering at the Dar es Salaam Maritime Institute. He reportedly drowned in a pond-like water body in Muheza, Tanga, on May 26.

Daniel Kambale, Rajab's brother, shared a detailed account of the events leading up to the tragedy and the confusion that followed.

"We last spoke on Friday, May 26, when he told me about the school trip from Dar es Salaam to Tanga," Kambale told The Eastleigh Voice in an interview on Monday.

Other Topics To Read

• Headlines
• National
• Brian Rajab death
• kenyans in tanzania
• kenyan student dies in tanzania
• Dar es Salaam Maritime Institute
• [HOLD
• FOR BALANCE] Kenyan student's family calls for probe into his mysterious death in Tanzania

“We planned to meet on Sunday since I was around the Vanga area, which is closer to the border, but I couldn't meet him as planned because of an emergency. On Sunday evening, I sent him a message he never read. Later that night, we, together with my mother, received a call from his school's administration saying he drowned.”

Initial reports

Kambale explained that the initial report from the school's administration was that a boat carrying the students had capsized due to strong winds. However, he said, subsequent accounts suggested that the boat had sped off, causing two students, including Rajab, to fall into the water.

“The school first said the boat capsized, then claimed it sped off, causing two students, including my brother, to fall into the water. When we visited the crime scene, we were told he drowned while swimming," Kambale said.

The family said it faced numerous hurdles in retrieving Rajab's body and personal belongings. Kambale said that upon arriving at the mortuary in Tanga, he was distressed to find that Rajab's body had not been properly stored, leading to significant decomposition.

"The body was not well stored and was in a state of decomposition, which seemed like an attempt to rush us into taking it away quickly," he said, adding that there were discrepancies when it came to Rajab's belongings.

His phone, he told The Eastleigh Voice, was found unlocked, yet it was always password-protected.

"I pressed the button on his phone, and it was on without a password. The school administration claimed a friend who knew the password had unlocked it, but this raised more questions for us.”

Alleged threats

Alloys Mwokozi, a family friend who assisted Kambale, highlighted further inconsistencies and alleged threats to the family.

"The deceased's brother informed us of threats he received from unknown individuals, so we had to go meet him in Tanga. The documentation provided by the school was inconsistent and seemed unofficial," Mwokozi stated.

"The autopsy report's dates and times were altered multiple times, and the death certificate's details conflicted with the actual timeline of events."

Mwokozi also described an unsettling experience at the mortuary and what he termed the suspicious behaviour of the officials involved.

"We reached the mortuary early, but the gates were locked. The mortician initially refused to open the mortuary until other officials arrived," Mwokozi said. "When we finally saw Rajab's body, the doctor provided conflicting information about the time and cause of death."

Return to Kenya

The family said it also faced issues transporting Rajab's body back to Kenya, as upon reaching the border, their documents were swiftly cleared.

"It seemed there was an effort to expedite our departure from the country," Mwokozi said.

The family said it contacted the Kenyan embassy but did not receive adequate support.

"We informed the embassy about the suspicious circumstances of Rajab's death, but we still lack clarity and justice," Kambale said.

The family is now urging the Tanzanian and Kenyan authorities to conduct a thorough investigation to uncover the truth behind Rajab's death.

"We just want to know what happened to Brian. We need answers and justice for my brother," Kambale said in his appeal.