The death of Rosemary Chemutai Koech Kimwatu has left her family, colleagues and friends trying to come to terms with the loss of a woman who had built a strong career and raised four children. Rosemary, who was 40 years old, was the Head of Data Protection at KCB Bank Group.
She was found dead at a house in Ngong, Kajiado County, and an autopsy established that she died by suicide.
Her death has since attracted attention, with different accounts emerging about the circumstances surrounding her final months.
However, her parents have now issued a statement seeking to make their position clear and asking the public to allow the family to mourn their daughter without further speculation.
The parents said they had no doubt that KCB gave Rosemary the space and support she needed to grow in her career and perform her duties. They said the bank stood with the family both when Rosemary was unwell and after her death.
According to the parents, the support they received from the institution during the difficult period was important to them, and they remain grateful for it.
They also distanced themselves from stories circulating about Rosemary’s relationship with her employer or other matters surrounding her death. The family said such accounts should not be taken as their official position.
Their main request was for privacy and peace as they continue to grieve the loss of their daughter.
Rosemary had developed a career that crossed several important areas. She had experience in law, technology, public policy and data protection.
Before joining KCB, she had also worked at Safaricom. Her professional journey had placed her in positions that required knowledge of technology, regulation and the protection of personal information.
Away from her career, accounts from relatives have pointed to difficulties in her marriage and financial pressures during the period before her death.
Some family members have described a situation in which Rosemary took a loan and used the money to build a home on her husband’s ancestral land.
The relatives say she was later forced to leave the house while she continued servicing the loan.
She eventually rented a house near her parents in Ngong. A relative also alleged that her husband, Kevin Kimwatu, had placed pressure on her over money connected to his business activities and later political plans.
There were further claims that her clothes were put in sacks and left outside her parents’ home in Kajiado.
The relative also alleged that threats were made against Rosemary’s mother.
Reports from people close to the family suggest that the problems in the marriage had continued for some time. Rosemary was said to have spoken about debts connected to supporting the family at a time when her husband was not working steadily.
Following a work trip to Mombasa, she was reportedly treated for depression and spent some time staying with her parents.
She later moved into a house with her children. On the night before her death, she spoke with her husband on the phone.
The following morning, she was found dead in her bedroom.
The different accounts surrounding Rosemary’s final months have raised questions, but they also show why the circumstances require careful handling.
Her parents have chosen to focus on the support they received from KCB and their need to mourn privately, while relatives have highlighted the personal and financial difficulties they believe affected her.
Police investigations are expected to establish the full circumstances surrounding her death. In the meantime, Rosemary’s four children remain with relatives as the family deals with the loss.
For those who knew her professionally, Rosemary will also be remembered for the career she built across law, technology, public policy and data protection.
Her death has left behind a family mourning a mother and daughter, colleagues remembering a professional, and four children facing life without their mother.
