Shalkido: A promising talent, a fall from grace, a fundraiser and a shocking death

Gengetone luminary Shalkido, real name Kelvin Mburu Kinyanjui, has tragically died from injuries sustained in a grisly crash on Thika Road.

The tragic news was first shared by comedian and YouTuber Oga Obinna, who had closely followed the artist’s deteriorating condition following the accident and who had also spearheaded efforts to revive his collapsed music career.

The accident occurred in the early hours of Sunday, October 5, between Githurai and Carwash, just before Roysambu, as Shalkido was leaving a night function in Thika.

First responders found Shalkido lying severely injured by the roadside and rushed him to the Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH), where he was admitted to the ICU.

Shalkido was last seen near Kenyatta University, where he reportedly waved goodbye before veering off his route - this was after he had fuelled his motorbike with the help of Obinna and his team before the teams took different routes. 

Hours later, relatives would be alerted about the accident. 

As Kenyans, fans and fellow artists waited with bated breath for news of his recovery, doctors at KUTRRH revealed that the musician had been pronounced 'brain dead'. 

Doctors use the term to describe a situation where the brain no longer sends signals that control vital functions such as breathing, heartbeat regulation, or consciousness.

Unlike being in a coma (where there is still some brain activity and a chance of recovery), brain death is legally and medically considered death, even if machines can keep the heart and lungs working for a time.

As the saga unfolded, Obinna narrated a series of frustrating events that made it difficult for the family to get information or authorisation to transfer the patient.

The YouTube star said that despite their attempts to follow hospital procedures, they were repeatedly sent from one department to another.

He said: "When we asked the doctor for updates, she said we had to wait for the nurse to come. Then later, when we tried to get a transfer document, they told us we needed approval from the doctor. When I went back, they said we first had to find another hospital, get a bed, an ambulance, and a neurosurgeon before we could move him."

The comedian described being moved in circles for hours, a frustrating ordeal for a family trying to save their loved one’s life.

"We were told to go to the radiology department for a report. When we got there, the place was closed. That broke us because they knew it was closed but still sent us there," he lamented. 

He added that despite their persistence, most of their efforts hit a dead end. The hospital staff left them desperate, with little hope of getting timely help for the critically injured musician. 

Amid the confusion and tension, Obinna said one doctor, identified as Dr Lillian, finally took time to assist and explain the situation to the family in detail.

"We met Dr Lillian after a lot of going back and forth. He was very kind and patient. He explained everything clearly and even showed us on his phone what was happening," he said. 

According to the doctor, Shalkido had suffered severe internal bleeding in the brain, with multiple points of haemorrhage that made surgery impossible.

“He said the brain was swollen and the bleeding was in many places, so it was inoperable. They had started him on medication to manage the condition. His left leg was also injured and had been stabilised,” Obinna recounted.

The family was informed that the condition was very severe and that the next few days would be critical. The doctors had placed the artiste under sedation as part of his treatment.

The news of his passing has sent shockwaves through Kenya’s entertainment industry.

Colleagues, fans, and public figures have expressed grief over the loss of a young artist whose trajectory showed promise and who had just started finding his feet again, after years of turbulence and financial woes.

Musician Bahati revealed that he had spoken to Shalkido shortly before his death, recalling thir last conversation in an emotional post that; “He told me he was finally feeling hopeful again.”

Thousands of fans and fellow musicians have also flooded social media with tributes, remembering him for his humor, humility and raw talent.

Shalkido was known for his prolific work in the Gengetone sub-genre where he formed part of the groundbreaking 'Sailors Gang' rap group. 

Recently, the soft-spoken rapper had gained attention for sharing his personal struggles after making repeated appeals for support to sustain his music career and family.

While some commiserated with him, he did recieve a fair amount of criticism from some industry peers, many of whom blasted him for mismanaging his finances at the height of his fame.

Despite the controversy surrounding his misfortunes, Shalkido's plight would wholeheartedly be taken up by Obinna, who championed efforts to restore his former glory and find him a way to earn a living - culminating in the purchase of the same motorcycle that killed him, with the help of well-wishers.

The motorbike gift, realized after the intervention of Eric Omondi's Sisi kwa Sisi campaign, came as a lifeline for the former Sailors Gang member, who had spoken openly about falling on hard times after the Gengetone wave slowed down.

The bike, which he had planned to use for a boda boda business, symbolized a fresh start. In videos shared online just days earlier, a visibly emotional Shalkido thanked Omondi and promised to turn his life around. “This is a new beginning,” he said.

Mental health expert Bravin Yuri also chimed in, saying, "Gengetone Artist Shalkido has passed on after a motorcycle accident. There is just something about life these days that just doesn't make sense."

On the matter of Shalkido suffering brain damage, some doctors called out KUTRRH for what they termed as negligence and incompetence in dealing quickly with the matter.

While taking to X, Dr. Waithera Wambugu said: "The Shalkido story is so heartbreaking to hear! Surgeons CAN and SHOULD perform surgery when the brain is bleeding. Craniotomy is done on an epidural hematoma, burr holes on a subdural hematoma and surgical evacuation for an intracerebral hemorrhage! For a Tier 6 hospital that’s unethical. Shame on the doctors for being so disgustingly negligent!"

Sailors Gang, which ruled the pop airwaves back in 2018-19, was known for hits like ‘Wamlambez’ and ‘Wainame.’ In recent years, Shalkido, as had his band mates, had stepped away from the limelight as the group split and members pursued solo projects.