Kevin Kimwatu Migwe is a Kenyan brand and campaign strategist whose professional work has included political, humanitarian, and corporate campaigns.
Kimwatu has come into the public spotlight after moving to court over the funeral and burial arrangements for his late wife, Rosemary Chemutai Koech-Kimwatu, a former KCB Bank executive who died on August 21.
An autopsy conducted at Lee Funeral Home by Chief Government Pathologist Dr Johansen Oduor established that Koech died by suicide.
On August 28, a Nairobi court issued interim orders stopping the removal and burial of Rosemary’s remains without Kimwatu’s involvement, pending further proceedings in the case.
The court order came after the family had announced that Koech’s funeral would take place at her parents’ home in Chepseon, Kericho County, on Saturday, August 29, from 10 am.
Who Is Kevin Kimwatu?
USIU-Africa identifies Kevin Kimwatu as a Brand and Campaign Strategist with experience spanning political, humanitarian, and corporate campaigns.
He was also involved in the university’s alumni leadership, where the 2024 USIU-Africa commencement publication listed him as chairperson of the Public Relations Committee of the Alumni Association Executive Committee.
Also Read: KCB Publicly Mourns Rosemary Koech as KSh 1M Children’s Fund Is Seeded
Kevin Kimwatu’s professional background places him in the communications and campaign-strategy space, where branding, public relations, and messaging are central.
Unlike a conventional politician, Kimwatu’s political activity has centered on campaign communication and strategy rather than elected office.
His Role in Okiya Omtatah’s 2027 Plans
Kevin Kimwatu became more politically visible in November 2024, when Senator Okiya Omtatah formed a Presidential Exploratory Committee to assess the possibility of running for president in the 2027 General Election.
On November 22, 2024, Kimwatu was appointed as the committee’s spokesperson and charged with communicating its activities and decisions to the public.
The committee was mandated to assess Senator Okiya Omtatah’s political prospects, including conducting opinion polls and surveys, evaluating his popularity and electability, tracking political developments, and gathering information that could support a possible presidential bid.
His Connection to Rosemary Koech
Kevin Kimwatu was married to Rosemary Chemutai Koech-Kimwatu, who was Head of Data Protection at KCB Bank Group before her death.
In court documents filed in the current dispute, Kimwatu states that he married Rosemary on August 24, 2013, at St Austin’s Catholic Church in Nairobi.
According to his court submission, the couple experienced difficulties in their marriage and had separated for about four months before Rosemary’s death.
He says they had subsequently reconciled and that Rosemary had expressed a desire to return to their matrimonial home
Kimwatu and the the late Rosemary had four children, and the dispute emerged after Rosemary’s death.
Kevin Kimwatu moved to the Milimani Chief Magistrate’s Court on August 26, seeking orders allowing him to participate in decisions concerning his wife’s funeral and burial.
Kevin told the court that he had been excluded from the arrangements despite being Rosemary’s husband.
He is seeking, among other orders, recognition of his entitlement to participate in decisions regarding her burial and has asked that her remains be buried at his ancestral home in Matasia, Kajiado County.
The KCB Next-of-Kin Issue
The dispute intensified after KCB sent a letter to Lee Funeral Home.
The August 25 letter stated that KCB’s employment records listed Rosemary’s sister, Judy Koech-Oyamo, and her son, Charles Migwe Kimwatu, as the persons recorded as her next of kin.
The bank said the two could liaise with the funeral home regarding the release, collection, and burial arrangements.
KCB, however, clarified that the letter was issued specifically for funeral and mortuary arrangements and did not establish legal representation of Rosemary’s estate or entitlement to her pension, insurance, terminal dues or other assets.
On August 28, Senior Principal Magistrate Agnes Mwangi issued interim orders restraining KCB, members of Rosemary’s family and other respondents from Lee Funeral Home without Kimwatu’s involvement.
The court also barred the respondents from making funeral arrangements or proceeding with the burial without his involvement pending the inter partes hearing.
“An interim temporary injunction is hereby issued restraining the respondents (KCB, Koech and 3 others), their servants, agents, employees and relatives from making any funeral arrangements and burial without the applicant’s involvement pending the inter partes hearing of this application,” the court ordered.
The matter is scheduled to return to court on August 31 for further directions.
Rosemary Chemutai Koech’s family held a memorial service at her parents’ home in Chepseon, Kericho County, on Saturday, August 29.
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