Kirinyaga: Drama in Kagaki village as burial is stopped by area assistant chief

Mary Muthoni expressed her desire to bury her 70-year-old brother-in-law, Joseph Muchoki, as soon as she discovered he had passed away.

Struggling financially, she called upon eight young men from the village to construct a coffin using leftover wood from her late husband.

"I reached out to the chief to inform him about Muchoki's death, so I don’t understand why he stopped the burial," Muthoni lamented.

Muthoni shared that Muchoki had been ill for a prolonged period and had moved back to his brother's compound three years ago after being away for over 20 years following the sale of his 21 acres of land.

"My husband passed away last year and instructed me to bury his brother immediately if he died, directing me where to do so since he sold all his properties," she added.

Jemimah Waithera, another family member, explained that the immediate burial was prompted by the family's dire financial circumstances.

"The body was taken to Kibugi Funeral Home by well-wishers who offered to help us with the burial," Waithera said.

Residents of Maitha Rui, led by James Mugweru and John Kamau, were taken aback by the incident.

"We were unaware of Muchoki's death and surprised to learn he could be buried without the neighbors being informed.

We didn't even know if he had been killed, though we knew he had been sick for a long time," Mugweru stated.

The shocked villagers left the compound after the body was transported, expressing their intention to contribute in order to give Muchoki a proper send-off.

"We hope to ensure he receives a decent burial rather than being interred without following our cultural practices," Mugweru concluded.