MUKABI PAINTED HIS WAY TO GLOBAL RECOGNITION

April 30, 2026 - 01:10 PM

The Dust Depo Studios at the Old Railways Museum in Nairobi wear a forlorn face. An unfinished canvas stretches on the stand, waiting for the brush to give it the final touches, oblivious to the reality that the man whose acumen graced the art has breathed his last.

The brushes, the paints, and the palette share the ignorance. Just like the canvas, they too have no idea that the man whose passion and skills turned canvases into marvelous paintings is no more and will not be visiting the studios again.

Sunset has come for the "barefoot philosopher" who walked without shoes in the studios, saying he couldn't reason well while wearing shoes.

Renowned painter Patrick Mukabi died last week at Kenyatta National Hospital after a lengthy battle with diabetes. Patrick, also known as Panye, was a towering figure in the country for his immense contribution to the field of fine arts, where he excelled as an artist, teacher, and mentor to many.

The veteran painter was born in Nairobi some 56 years ago. His parents worked for Kenya Railways. He was schooled in the same city, started drawing while young, and honed his skills at the Creative Art Centre with a basic illustration course, and later joined the Kenya Polytechnic, where he pursued a certificate in graphic design.

Patrick wasn't your ordinary painter. He was exceptional. His art spoke loudly. In the Cover Girls series, he brought to the fore the beauty of an African woman as captured in her chores, what can be described as her natural habitat. He drew them colorful and voluptuous, with emphasis on their curvaceous figures, clothed in colorful kanga.

Fine arts are far less appreciated in developing countries in comparison to music, comedy, and other categories. For one to rise to the top in this sphere is in itself testimony that he had no peers in the trade. He was, simply put, outstanding. His iconic works beautify Java centers across the country. His art has also graced various exhibitions in the country and beyond.

Apart from the Cover Girls series, he also excelled in drawing a musicians' series. This was inspired by his love for music. He did dozens of works that captured instrumentalists, i.e., guitarists, saxophonists, drummers, and others. He also used blurred lines to bring out the music.

Those hearts his art couldn't reach were possibly won over by his mentorship. His Dust Depo Studio was a drawing academy that mentored and nurtured many. In the studios, aspiring artists received materials and lessons in good measure.

His mentorship went beyond the studios. He also got involved in training new talents in schools, malls, and other venues. He also taught on TV, including Citizen on Saturdays and other stations. For this, it is highly likely that almost every Kenyan has encountered him in one way or another.

With his art beautifying airports, hotel walls, and other spaces in the country and abroad, Mukabi was on several occasions quoted as saying that his most treasured contribution wasn't even any of the drawings or paintings, but the impact he had in training and mentoring budding talent.

Demand for his skills also went beyond the boundaries of the country. He traveled abroad to more than 20 countries in Europe and elsewhere, honing the skills of budding painters. He became a global icon recognized for his contribution to art.

Unfortunately, with all this fame, when he became sick, friends had to step in for him, organizing exhibitions to raise money for his treatment. This possibly tells a story of how artists still struggle with the challenges of inadequacy to the extent of being unable to afford medication, despite their celebrity status.

His many students have been orphaned by his death. Jimmy Kitheka has been quoted as extolling the kindness of Mukabi's heart. He said that Mukabi would spare a shilling to buy materials for his students. He said he came to Nairobi with nothing, but Mukabi taught him how to use recycled materials and how to believe in his work.

A Facebook page dedicated to art mourned him with these words:

"A legend has put down his brush, but his canvas remains forever bright. His presence and artistry touched so many lives, and while his journey here has ended, his light continues to shine through the community he built and the artists he inspired. Eternal rest grants unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him."

His brush may dry with his demise, but just as his Facebook page remains alive with the colorful paintings of the Soko Soko series, his art will speak to the world, for the world, for long.

By Jerome Ogola