Mr Kevin O'Byrne teaching at Strathmore College in early 1960s

The Kevin O'Byrne Memorial Fund (KOBMF) will be launched on the 31st of October at the Nairobi Serena hotel from 7:00pm. The fund is being organised by the The Kevin O'Byrne Memorial Committee. The KOBMF seeks to inspire Kenyans to serve society as Kevin O'Byrne did throughout his life, and to encourage them to cherish and practice the virtues and qualities of character lived by Kevin O'Byrne, namely: integrity, dedication, professionalism and selflessness.

The KOBMF will achieve this through organising and financing commemorative activities, awards and projects. Committee members include Wilfred Kiboro, Daniel Njagi, David Sperling, Simon Anzagi, and Aloysius Ongutu. The dinner is Kshs3000 per head. The money can be paid at Strathmore School in Lavington, at Strathmore Alumni Liaison Office at the University in Madaraka or at dinner reception at Serena Hotel on the material hour.

Brief biography of Kevin O'Byrne

Kevin Francis O'Byrne was born in Galway, Ireland on 2nd December 1934 and died in Nairobi, Kenya on 29th of May 2008. He graduated with a first class honours in Bachelor of Engineering (Civil Engineering) from the National University of Ireland in 1955 coming first country-wide, in the Engineering class of 1955. At the request of the founder of Opus Dei, St.Josemaria Escriva, Kevin came to Kenya in 1958. He was one of the founders of Strathmore College, the first interracial institution of its kind in East Africa. The college has now evolved into Strathmore University and Strathmore School, institutions that have had a tremendous impact on East Africa and whose names are synonymous with professionalism and integrity.

Kevin spent tireless hours looking for the land that the university is currently located on, and he even took a trip to Europe to solicit for funds that were used to construct the university. As a respected engineer, he was responsible for such well-known buildings as Norwich Union House, Protection House, some wings of the Nairobi Hospital, and Braeburn School, among others.

Kevin was also a renowned sportsman, played scrum-half for East Africa, is in the Harlequin Club's Hall of Fame, and was the Chairman of the Kenya Rugby Referees for many years. He also excelled in the game of golf and at the top of his game, he was a single handicap golf player and won several tournaments.

Initiatives

The committee resolved to undertake a number of activities to create awareness of the enormous contribution he and his colleagues made to Kenya. These include starting an Endowment Fund to award scholarships, writing articles in the media, having a biography written, getting a building or street or monument named after him, among other ideas. Already an article has been published in the newspaper, the endowment fund has already collected some funds, and a biographer has already agreed to take up the assignment.

1. The Kevin O'Byrne Memorial Fund

The KOBMF Committee will eventually establish a Trust which will maintain a fund that will be legally registered in the Republic of Kenya as the Kevin O'Byrne Memorial Fund. Its purpose is to receive and invest donations, and monitor and supervise the use of the interest provided by the Fund. The Trustees will oversee the investments of the Fund and decide on how much of the interest earned to use for scholarships, activities and projects and how much to reinvest in order to grow the fund. In order to have a bigger and long-lasting impact, donations will be solicited from a wide range of people, locally and abroad, corporate and donor agencies who embrace the ideals that Kevin lived up to. 

2. The Kevin O'Byrne Memorial Scholarships

Every year the Trustees will request for applications for the Kevin O'Byrne Scholarship. Applicants should be students in who are completing their first year of studies and who have exhibited qualities similar to Kevin O'Byrne's (excellent in academics, outstanding in sports, good community service record, future promise, and great personal traits).
All the shortlisted applicants will be interviewed by a panel from the KOBMF who will select whom to award the scholarship to in strict adherence to the established criteria.

3. A Biography of Kevin O'Byrne

Kevin's friends and colleagues will be encouraged to provide the biographer (Silvano Borruso) with their recollections of times shared with Kevin, to give anecdotes and even to bring photographs that they may have. The biography should be published in 2010.

4. Physical Remembrance

The committee will study the possibility of having a physical location named after Kevin, be it a street, a building or even erect a monument.