The Chairman of the of the Board of Directors of Firewrks Advertising has spoken out on the saddening death of Frank Muthusi. Mutusi, 41, was the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Fireworks Advertising. He died on Wednesday in his bathroom in Kiwatule, Kampala.

Local media reported that Muthusi died after he slid and fell in the bathroom.

However, during a requiem mass organized in Muthusi’s honor at St. Andrew’s Church in Bukoto on Friday, Owino said Muthusi was sick. 

Quoting a postmortem report, Owino said, “Frank was sick.”

According to Owino, Muthusi had a condition that caused bleeding in his brain. 

“He bled in the brain. There was no outside mark to show that he was injured. Meaning that before he fell, he was already bleeding,” explained Owino.  He described Muthusi as a “great guy.”

According to Owino, Muthusi “rejuvinated” Fireworks after his elevation to the position of CEO. 
The company also grew. From 5 employees to the current 50. 

Muthusi’s last hour

At the weekend, Muthusi was in Naivasha, where he attended a BNI conference. Though he could afford an air ticket back to Uganda, he chose to take a bus with his peers. The journey was long, recalls his friend Becky. Nearly 20 hours to Busia. They would spend between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. between Busia and Kampala. “We talked about things we hadn’t talked about. Heart-to-heart,” Becky recalls their journey to Kampala from Busia. On Tuesday, Muthusi was not picking up or returning his phone calls. First, it was Owino who went to Muthusi’s residence. His car was parked. His gate man was at his post. The house was all quiet. “I knocked for 10 minutes. There was no response. I left. I asked the gate man. He said Muthusi was inside. He (the gate man) had seen him the previous evening,” recalls Owino. “I’ve lost a brother,” says Owino. 

After Owino, Becky came. “I got a feeling that he wasn’t okay,” says Becky. “I went to his house on Tuesday. I was told he was resting. I was suspicious. I forced myself in. Outside the bathroom door, I heard water running. I broke the door, hoping to save him. It hurts me, but Frank was gone,” Becky says. 
According to Becky, Muthusi will be missed. “I know that Frank’s soul is resting in peace.”

“Frank was loved,” says advertising guru Paul Mwirigi. Muthusi was Mwirigi’s best man. Mwirigi knew Muthusi for 20 years. 

The President of the Public Relations Association of Uganda (PRAU), TIna Wamala, told mourners that “Frank was an active member in all PRAU activities.”

“He was always willing to mentor. He always had something to remember. There are just too many memories to recall,” said Wamala. 

The church, however, encouraged mourners not to mourn. Quoting John 11:17–37, the preacher said: 
Frank might have known Christ as his lord and personal savior.”

“He is not dead. He is just resting,” the preacher added. 

He appealed to mourners to “think about our lives and ask God to prepare our ways.”

Muthusi’s body leaves Uganda on Saturday for burial at his ancestral home in Kenya. His body will be laid to rest 24 hours away from Nairobi next Thursday.