By Sukhdev Chhatbar.
The Arusha News family joins friends, relatives and the wider Arusha community in mourning the passing of Mosses Loishooki King’ori (69), a dear friend and an exceptional human being, who passed away early this week after a short illness.
Mosses was the kind of person many admired quietly but few dared to emulate. He did what many well-meaning people often shy away from—he acted. He reached out to orphans, supported individuals who needed just a little financial help to restart their lives and freely offered advice to those who simply needed guidance on how to move forward. His heart was open, his door was open and his hands were always extended to help.
As the founder of the well-known River Side Shuttle Services, Mosses was not only a businessman but also a pillar of the community. Beyond his business, he left an indelible mark on The Arusha News itself. He was among the very first supporters of this weekly newspaper when it rolled out its maiden issue on March the 7th, 2024.
Through the newspaper’s marketing colleague, Mathayo Laizer, Mosses sent us a warm message of congratulations—an encouragement that meant more than words could express at the time.
True to his generous nature, Mosses went further. He assured us of a monthly token of TZS 100,000, with or without an advertisement. It was unconditional support, driven purely by belief in the mission of informing our community. He also became an ambassador of goodwill for the paper, spreading the word about the revival of The Arusha News among his friends and colleagues.
I vividly recall the day I walked into his small shop—formerly where the Chinese restaurant once stood in downtown Arusha. He received me warmly, offered a firm and powerful handshake and said words I will never forget: “Young man, continue the good work of informing our community in Arusha and its vicinity. We need it.” He assured me that should I ever need help, I should not hesitate to reach out.
Mosses was also the first among our friends to proudly tell us how he followed the weekly review of The Arusha News every Saturday on Radio One and ITV. Hearing that gave me immense joy—it was reassurance that there are people who genuinely appreciate and uplift the work of others.
I also remember Mosses’ kindness during an earlier chapter of my life. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, when I served as Bureau Chief (Northern Zone) for the Government newspapers Daily News and Sunday News based in Arusha, I freelanced for The EastAfrican newspaper and the American news agency Associated Press.
Once a month, I would dash to Nairobi to collect my fees. There were times when salaries were delayed and I simply did not have the money to pay for a return shuttle ticket. I would approach Mosses and ask him to trust me—that I would pay for the ticket upon my return from Nairobi.
Those were days when River Side shuttles were always fully booked and allowing someone to travel without paying was no small gesture. Yet Mosses would smile warmly and say, “Brother, please don’t worry. When you return, you will pay.” That trust, offered so freely, speaks volumes about the man he was.
Mosses King’ori was laid to rest on Thursday, 29 January, at his home farm in Mianzini, Arusha, in the presence of family members, friends and community members who gathered to bid farewell to a man whose life was defined by compassion and service.
The hundreds of people who gathered at his home in Mianzini, stunned and heartbroken by his passing, are living testimony that Mosses was truly a man of the people. His life was defined by service, kindness and an unwavering heart for others.
Mosses King’ori is survived by his wife, children and grandchildren to whom we extend our deepest condolences.
Though he is no longer with us, his legacy lives on—in the lives he touched, the hope he gave and the encouragement he offered so freely. Arusha has lost a son, a friend and a quiet pillar of strength.
May his soul rest in eternal peace.
