The widow of veteran gynaecologist Job Obwaka moved mourners to tears on Wednesday as she defended her late husband’s legacy during a memorial service at CITAM Valley Road in Nairobi.

Everose Chemtai described the 83-year-old former Nairobi Hospital board member as a loving family man and a dedicated professional, urging the public to ignore rumours surrounding his final days.

“He had a big heart. Do not listen to all the talk. He was intelligent, successful, drove nice cars and always had money. Who would not notice such a man?” she said.

Chemtai admitted that while she deeply loved her husband, she never sought to control him outside their home. She told the congregation that she chose to let him be a man throughout their 48-year union.

“Many times I wanted to say he belongs to me, but only when we were inside the house. Once he left home, I never followed him or checked where he was going,” she said.

She explained that she trusted him fully due to the demands of his medical profession, noting that he was a professional who often had to be in the theatre to finish his work.

However, once he came home, he would step earnestly into the shoes of a father,  and ultimately the love of her life.

Chemtai recalled how her husband never spent a night away from home and would often return with perfume for her after an argument.

“We forgave each other all the time. Please do not tarnish his name. Let him rest,” she pleaded.

Her remarks appeared to address the intense scrutiny surrounding Dr Obwaka before his death on May 1.

Obwaka died of cardiac arrest on May 1, 2026, while at a residence in Kitengela with 45-year-old Beatrice Wangare, who was briefly detained as investigations into his death commenced.

Wangare was, however, later released after a postmortem confirmed he died of natural causes, with no evidence of foul play found.

The veteran doctor had also been at the centre of a leadership crisis at Nairobi Hospital weeks before his death. 

Chemtai claimed the disputes escalated into state intimidation, alleging that a humiliating arrest weeks before his death broke his spirit and triggered a sharp decline in his health.

Ultimately, colleagues and friends gathered to remember a man whom they say served the medical fraternity with integrity for decades.