Bungoma family seeks Gov't help to repatriate kin's body from DRC

52-year-old Wycliffe Maketi died under unclear circumstances, with the family saying they have received conflicting reports regarding the cause of his death.

One month after receiving news of the death of their breadwinner, Maketi's family remains in agony as they struggle to bring his remains back home.

Maketi worked as a private plant operator in the DRC and was allegedly attacked by unknown assailants. However, his family stated that they have received conflicting accounts about what led to his death.

"People who found him and took him to hospital said it appeared that he had been attacked. Since we have not been there, we want a post-mortem to be conducted so that we can know exactly what caused his death. However, the hospital that received him and in whose care he died says he was experiencing breathing difficulties," stated a family member.

The family now claims that the 14-day period granted by a local hospital for the body to remain at the facility has elapsed, with hospital officials reportedly threatening to dispose of or cremate the remains.

"We raised and paid Ksh.150,000 to hire a hearse to bring the body home, but it was unable to cross through the Uganda border. We are now stranded because the body has failed to arrive," a family member highlighted. 

"They told us the only available option is to cremate the body and send us the ashes in Kenya. However, before that happens, we would like to travel there as a family so that we can witness the cremation before returning with the ashes. That would at least help us find closure."

Uganda closed its border with the Democratic Republic of Congo in May as part of efforts to contain the spread of the Ebola virus disease.

Maketi's family is now grappling with the far-reaching effects of a health crisis hundreds of kilometres away, which has disrupted movement and left them unable to accord their patriarch a dignified burial.