Patriots Basketball Club confirmed on Saturday, January 1, the death of Richard ‘Richo’ Karimba – one of its founding members.

According to the club's statement, Karimba breathed his last on Friday night after a long fight with cancer.

"'Richo' was a brother to all our players and the biggest supporter way beyond the court. Our thoughts are with his family," it read.

Speaking to Times Sport, Brian Kirungi, President of the club, described Karimba as the big brother of the team.

"He gave us very considered wise counsel in a very calm way all the time. He was there from the start," he noted.

"When Richard was around, you didn’t need 1,000 men. He would take care of the hard and soft part of every problem," he added.

Kirungi has significant memories of Karimba's love for the club, for example, taking on the duties of a bus driver for the players when the driver got socially impaired from one basketball outing upcountry.

"(He) served food to players at functions when he thought the servers had delayed, and at the same time he put us in line when he felt there was need. He was a giant on whose shoulders I will forever stand,” he further noted.

He added: Now I believe in immortality. He will forever live with us. I will miss him dearly. Fare thee well, you fought like the giant we knew. A true patriot in the true sense of the word."

Commenting on the news of Karimba's death; Liza Mills, a former coach of Patriots Basketball Club, who is now the head coach of the Kenyan national team said, via social media: "Very sad news indeed. Condolences to Richard's family and friends, as well as to the Patriots family. He will be sorely missed."

Louise Esther Mugabo, an avid Patriots fan described the death as "a big loss for the entire basketball community."

Ally Ruzigande, a former Patriots player now based in Belgium, said:

"I remember when he was in the Patriots he was a big brother of the players, he was our mentor, and he advised us in everyday life as a basketball team. We lost a very important person."

Patriots coach Ben Oluoch said: "Today I am deeply saddened by the death of my colleague in the Patriots. A man loved by many, family and friends. The man who treated me best when I was in Rwanda for the first time in 2020 when Covid cut things off. 

When I had no food, he took me to a restaurant and found out if I had any money in those difficult times. This man will be greatly missed.”