Just weeks after being honoured by President William Ruto with the Elder of the Burning Spear (EBS) Award, philanthropist and Mathare Youth Football Club founder Robert Donald Munro has passed away.
Monroe died on Sunday evening at his Westlands home, his family announced revealing that he had been ailing for the last six months.
”The family of Robert Donald Munro would like to announce his death. My darling husband Bob, as he is affectionately referred to in Kenyan football circles, has been in and out of hospital for the last six months due to respiratory problems,” his wife Ingrid Monroe shared on behalf of the family.
”A beloved father and grandfather, he breathed his last on Sunday, January 19, 2025, at his residence in Westlands, Nairobi. Further updates will be provided in due course,” the family added.
A photo collage of Mathare Youth FC in action and owner Robert Monroe.
Mathare FC/Robert Monroe
President Ruto feted him with the EBS title at State House Nairobi during the Jamhuri Day celebrations for his contributions to the community, particularly his elevation of the youth.
The philanthropist is fondly remembered for founding Mathare Youth FC, a transformative initiative that uplifted the lives of countless young people living in the slums of Mathare and neighbouring areas.
His efforts are credited with steering many youth away from crime, particularly during a period when economic hardships drove many Kenyan youth into unlawful activities due to a lack of viable livelihood opportunities.
Speaker of the Senate Amason Kingi led national leaders in eulogising the community champion, describing home as a giant transforming the Kenyan football sphere and inspiring many boys and girls into soccer.
”I join our football fraternity in mourning the passing on of Mathare United founder Bob Munro. Mr Munro is credited with transforming Mathare United from a low-tier team to a soccer powerhouse in Kenya & for inspiring many of our boys & girls to take up football as a career. Rest in peace,” Kingi shared.
Sports personalities and enthusiasts who interacted with the philanthropist took to social media to pour their praise and condolences following his demise.
”Bob Munro crafted a team that achieved an extraordinary milestone in 1998 when Mathare United Soccer Club won the prestigious Moi Golden Cup. Mathare United became the first and only team outside Kenya’s Premier League to lift the coveted trophy,” Steve Shitera, a sports journalist at Citizen TV stated.
”This remarkable victory earned the club the honour of representing Kenya in the CAF Confederation Cup. The club’s football journey began in the Mathare slums, embodying resilience and the unifying spirit of the game. That is why we love football. Rest in peace, champion,” he added.
”We join the football community in mourning the loss of Bob Munro, the founder of Mathare United and a true champion of grassroots football in Kenya. His contributions to the sport and the community will forever be remembered,” the Football Federation of Kenya(FKF) stated.
The late Mathare Youth FC Chairperson Robert Donald Monroe.
Robert Monroe