Sunrise 24 July 1968 - Sunset 20 February 2021
It is with humble acceptance of God's will that we announce the demise of Jack Hillary Ojiambo on 20 February, 2021. Jack was a lawyer with a special interest in arbitration; and a jazz enthusiast who will be fondly remembered for the Capital Jazz Show and We Love Vinyl Worldwide.
Beloved son of the late Prof. Hillary Peter Ojiambo and Hon. Prof. Julia Ojiambo.
Adoring father of Holly.
Brother to Amb. Josephine Ojiambo, Theresa Ojiambo and Sanda Ojiambo.
Uncle to the late Peter, Marie, Julie, Veronica and Hillary
Jack Hillary Makokha Ojiambo was born on 24th July 1968. He was the third born child of the late
Prof. Hillary Peter Ojiambo and Hon. Prof. Julia Ojiambo.
Education
He went first to Parklands Nursery School and then to Audrey Taylors Kindergarten, where he is
remembered as a boisterous young child, and where he made some of his first lifelong friends. He
attended Hospital Hill Primary School where he began to develop his love for sports, initially as a
swimmer. After completing his Certificate of Primary Education (CPE), Jack gained admission to
the Alliance High School where he excelled in his studies, particularly focused on the Arts. It was
at the Alliance High School where he started to play rugby and represented his school in national
league events.
After successfully completing his O levels at the Alliance High School, Jack proceeded to Kent
College, Canterbury in the United Kingdom for his A levels. He did his LLB in London and
returned to Kenya to attend Kenya School of Law and complete his Diploma in Law and was
admitted to the role of the Advocates of the High Court of Kenya. After this, Jack went on to gain
a Master’s degree in Law from Queen Mary College University, and later qualified as an arbitrator.
Career
Jack worked at the firm of Archer and Wilcock Advocates, Agricultural Finance Corporation, the
Credit Reference Bureau and then started the firm of Jack Ojiambo and Co. Advocates.
While he practiced law, Jack also worked at Capital Radio for 10 years. While at Capital FM, he
did sabbaticals at the BBC and annually attended the Cape Town Jazz Festival where he expanded
his love of jazz. Later, he did a short stint at Nation Radio and then began to expand his jazz
sphere working online and presenting on digital radio platforms.
In 2012, Jack decided to make a foray into the political arena under the Labour Party of Kenya
when he ran for Councillor in Westlands Constituency. While not successful, he expanded his
knowledge of grassroots politics. He continued to be a keen follower of politics and participated
and represented the Labour Party at local and national events.
Jack was recently appointed the Local Chair of the Queen Mary School of Law Alumni in Kenya.
He was an avid reader and kept up to date with the developments in the practice of Law
Family
Life
Jack was a loving and dedicated father to his daughter, Holly, in whom he invested much time
mentoring her in life skills, enjoying her growth and development in the academic area. Recently,
he began to prepare for her university education. He celebrated Holly at every possible occasion.
He sometimes brought her to the radio station to participate in his jazz shows and on one
occasion she presented the Jazz Quiz segment on his show.
Jack was deeply loved and cared for by his mother and father. They invested in his education, his
family and social life. He was the brother to three sisters; Josephine and Theresa who were both
older than him, and Sanda his younger sister. He always engaged in healthy debate with his sisters
and challenged them to excel in all spheres.
Jack’s nieces and nephews, the late Peter, Marie, Julia, Vera, Hillary and Silvester would refer to
him as an award-winning and loving uncle. He helped nurture their passions and mentored them
in their careers. He would proudly take them to his radio shows and events, where he encouraged
them to participate in giving shout outs and would later invite them to share in his love of vinyl.
He shared in their joys, was proud of their development of their personalities and challenged them
to achieve their highest potential
Health
Jack had a long term heart condition caused by a weak heart muscle, referred to as a myopathy. He
was cared for by Dr. Dan Gikonyo and a team of dedicated physicians. Over time, this heart
condition affected his kidneys. During the month of October 2020, Jack’s condition deteriorated,
causing the need for in-patient hospital care for over two months. Jack was discharged from
hospital on December 30th. On his return home, he would return to the hospital for outpatient
treatment and dialysis periodically. On Saturday 20th February, during his dialysis session his
heartbeat became irregular, a condition formally referred to as Ventricular Tachycardia. It is this
condition that caused his heart to cease and led to his sudden death.
We love you Jack. Rest in Peace
