Two sisters walk 25km to raise Ksh.2.2M after brother's body detained at K.U hospital

Two sisters walk 25km to raise Ksh.2.2M after brother's body detained at K.U hospital

Sisters Doris Mumbi and Purity Murugi accompanied by youths on February 4,2023 when they walked 25 kilometres in a bid to raise money to have their brother's body released from hospital. PHOTO | ANTHONY NDWIGA | CITIZN DIGITAL

Two orphaned sisters on Saturday walked 25 kilometres from Embu to Runyenjes in a bid to raise Ksh.2.2 million required for the body of their brother to be released from the Kenyatta University Teaching, Research and Referral Hospital (KUTRRH).

The sisters; Doris Mumbi and Purity Murugi, were joined by a group of youths in the walk where they appealed to members of the public and well-wishers to help them offset the bill so that they can bury their kin.

Eric Mutugi, a first-year student who was pursuing a medical course at the Thika Medical Training College, died at the hospital on January 16, 2023 but his body has since been detained with the facility demanding full payment of the bill.

According to Mumbi, since the death of their brother, they have only managed to raise Ksh.225, 000 which the hospital accepted but demanded more.

She said they had tried all avenues to raise the money but, since they're unemployed and have no title deeds to offer as collateral, they resorted to a walk campaign to raise the balance.

Mumbi added that, through this initiative, they’re hoping to raise an additional Ksh.200,000 – Ksh.300,000 with the hope that the hospital will then agree to release their brother’s body for burial.

Caroline Mbae, a neighbour to the deceased, said the sisters are going through mental torture now that their brother - who was their only remaining hope - died and they haven’t gotten closure as they’re yet to bury him.

Ms. Mbae called upon the county and national governments to intervene by introducing a kitty that can be used in similar scenarios instead of making poor families go through such pain.

Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) board member Enos Njeru said the diseased's parents died 15 years ago and left him with his two sisters who are taken care of by the community.

Mr. Njeru said that, through donations from well-wishers, the money the sisters have raised so far is still not enough to have the body released.

He further appealed to the national government to step in and wave the hospital and mortuary bills so as to save the two girls from further agony.

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