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A life tragically cut short after graduation

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It is with much regret and sadness that we announce the passing of our recent graduate, Mercy Ndivo and her husband Mwazo Jared Babu, from Nairobi.

Mercy Ndivo

It is with much regret and sadness that we announce the passing of our recent graduate, Mercy Ndivo and her husband Mwazo Jared Babu, from Nairobi. The couple were travelling on the Ethiopian Airlines flight from Addis Ababa to Nairobi that crashed on Sunday 10 March, killing 157 people.

Speaking on behalf of all staff at the University of London, Professor Mary Stiasny OBE, Pro Vice-Chancellor (International), said: “We are all shocked and saddened to hear that both Mercy and her husband have had their lives cut short through this tragic accident. I have spoken with Mercy’s father this morning and was very saddened to hear that the couple leave behind a 15 month-old baby, and were travelling back  to Nairobi from London.”

The couple were travelling home after a short spell in London, during which Mercy attended her graduation ceremony at the Barbican Centre on Tuesday 5 March, which was presided over by the Chancellor, HRH The Princess Royal. Mercy had successfully completed a Masters in Professional Accountancy with the University of London through its distance and flexible learning programmes.

Professor Stiasny added:

Our condolences go out to Mercy’s family and friends. I also know that the whole University of London community across the world is deeply shocked to hear of the circumstances in which one of their rising stars and her husband had their lives tragically cut short, when they had so much more to give to the world. We are very proud of Mercy, a member of our international academic community.

Mercy, who worked for KPMG as a Senior Auditor in Nairobi, clearly wanted to make an impact on the lives of all those she came across, and this is evident from what she says on her LinkedIn profile:

‘A highly ethical, dedicated, forward thinking and results oriented finance professional, who has gained experience within the “Big 4” environment and possesses comprehensive knowledge in auditing, accounting and tax. My vision is to attain success in all spheres of my life while making an impact on the lives of those I come across in my journey.’

Professor Stiasny also announced that the  University of London’s distance and flexible learning programmes is looking to set up  a scholarship in Mercy’s name. Details will be made available in due course.

The photo in this article may not be used without prior permission from University of London Worldwide.

This page was last updated on 4 August 2022