Drama ensued in Kamasengre village in Rusinga, Homa Bay County, after the mother of Kennedy Onyango, a victim of police brutality, accused his father of halting the burial for ill motives.
Kennedy was shot dead in Rongai during the finance bill protests prompting comedian Eric Omondi to pledge a fundraiser for his funeral.
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Speaking to the press, Kennedy’s mother Jecinter Anyango alleged that his father Denis Okinyi only showed up claiming their son’s body after hearing about the fundraiser planned by Eric Omondi.
She claimed that Okinyi had initially opted out of the funeral arrangement when he heard about the expenses involved but showed up after Eric Omondi’s financial intervention.
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“Now I’m seeing him come forward because of money. When he heard that there were expenses, he opted out and insulted me, and after seeing Eric Omondi, he started talking to him. I know it is about the money because he told Eric to send him the money instead of his stepfather,” she said.
The dispute began when Kennedy’s biological father Denis Okinyi moved to court to stop the burial of the boy at his stepfather’s compound at Kamasengri in Mbita.
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Okinyi, who divorced Kennedy’s mother and moved on to live separately, demanded that the boy be buried in Suba, where he was born and raised.
Also Read: IG Koome Clarifies Reports of Police Blocking Kennedy Onyango’s Burial
Kennedy Onyango Family Disputes Over Body
Jecinter Anyango recalled the circumstances leading to the burial date being pushed forward citing that Kennedy’s body was taken by policemen on her way to Mbita.
“I was bringing my child home to be buried, on getting to Mbita, we were taken by policemen, they told us that this letter goes to court,” Jecinter said.
However, the Inspector General (IG) of police Japhet Koome addressed the issue surrounding the rumors online stating,
“Contrary to the misleading reports circulating on social media that the National Police Service has stopped the burial of the late Kennedy Onyango in Mbita Constituency, we wish to clarify to the public that the body was released to the mother, Jecinter Anyango Ochieng for burial on July 4, 2024,” read part of the statement.
Subsequently, he revealed that the body of Kennedy was moved to Mbita for burial. However, the funeral was halted when a man claiming to be the boy’s biological father obtained a court order to stop it.
Also Read: Storm as Man Claims Body of 12-Year-Old Victim in Rongai Shooting
Burial Blocked
“The body was moved to Mbita for burial but upon arrival on July 5, 2024, one Denis Okinyi Abaga claiming to be the biological father of the boy appeared with a court order stopping the burial after he demanded to bury the boy,” added the police boss.
IG Koome further added that apparently, the Civil Suit No. 0028 of 2024 filed at Mbita Law Courts ordered the police to move the body to Suba Sub-County Hospital Funeral Home for preservation, prompting the OCS Mbita Police Station to comply with the order.
The NPS appealed to members of the public to remain calm as this matter regarding family burial dispute is resolved before a competent Court of Law.
This clarification by Koome came after Jecinter Anyango, the mother to the 12-year-old, pleaded with President William Ruto to intervene after a court halted the burial.
Anyango in a video shared earlier by Haki Africa CEO and activist Hussein Khalid, begged President Ruto to intervene and help her access the body of her son.
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