We have a conversation with a personality who has served the community at various levels and still does. When it comes to umpiring a cricket match, he has the knowledge and experience to do it for he undertook a course to become a professional cricket umpire. He is Alhaj Maqbool Jaffer.

Maqboolbhai was born in Lamu in December, 1953, to Marhuma Sugrabai and Marhum Kassamali Gulamhusein Abdulla Jaffer. After completing primary school education, the family moved to Mombasa where he obtained his secondary education up to “Advanced” secondary levels at Alidina Visram High School. In 1975, he travelled to United Kingdom (UK) and obtained the Business Studies degree from Huddersfield Polytechnic and later on, in 1984, qualified as a Chartered Accountant. In 1986, he moved to Stanmore where he joined a local firm of Chartered Accountants. His community contributions include Assistant Mukhi of Hujjat from November 1987 for a two year term. From 1987 to 1990, he also served the Hujjaj in the group led by Marhum Anwerbhai Hasham. In 1990, he moved to Nairobi and joined Sameer Investments under Marhum Naushadbhai Merali for 7 years and then moved back to London in 1997. Since returning to UK, he worked in various firms before retiring in 2018. His voluntary contribution at various levels to Hujjat Community continues till today.

His life journey from his birthplace in Lamu to Mombasa, onto UK and back to Kenya and returning to UK may resonate with many of us who came here as a student. In his case, UK has provided him with opportunities to enhance his carrier as well as serve the community that has a special place in his heart and to which he continues to serve with dedication.