Mombasa: Drama as 2 Stepfathers Battle for Right to Bury 11-Year-Old Boy They Helped Raise
- Two men have been claiming burial rights over an 11-year-old boy found dead in Changamwe, both having married the child's mother at different times
- The first husband, who raised the boy for 10 years, insists on burying him based on their bond and cultural ties, while the woman's family supports her current husband of two years
- Authorities have warned that any unauthorised burial could lead to legal action for body theft, as the child's body has been moved to a private mortuary in Kisauni amid the dispute
Nancy Odindo, a TUKO.co.ke journalist, has over four years of experience covering Kenyan politics, news, and features for digital and print media.
Mombasa - A bitter dispute has erupted between two families over the burial rights of an 11-year-old boy who was found dead inside a house in Changamwe.
Source: Youtube
The boy’s death has sparked emotional and legal tensions, as two men—both of whom were married to the child’s mother at different times—claim the right to bury him.
Both men attended the post-mortem conducted at the Coast General Hospital but neither is the biological father. They each married the child’s mother when the boy was already born.
Why did two Mombasa men fight over dead body?
The first man, who lived with the boy and his mother for ten years, insists he has the rightful claim to bury the child, citing their long-term bond and cultural practices.
“One of the woman’s colleagues, who knows I’m married to her, called and told me my child had died. Several others also called me, saying she had locked the door and gone to work. Yet I was barred from accessing the post-mortem. We built a home together four years ago, and I took the late Liam as my first son, even establishing a home with him according to Luo tradition,” he said emotionally.
He further added that while he accepts the mother can make her own decisions, he wishes to bury the deceased boy and also care for the younger sibling.
On the other hand, the woman's family is supporting the current husband, a pastor who has lived with the woman and the children for the past two years.
They argue he has been the present father figure and therefore should have the burial rights.
“We are deeply hurt by how the boy died. If there are claims of a lack of transparencies, they should consult Changamwe authorities to verify the facts. Ultimately, it is the mother who knows who the real father is. This is a child I saw when he was born. You were asked to have a DNA test but fled. How can you now claim a child that is not yours?” stated another.
Tensions escalated further, with warnings issued that anyone who attempts to bury the child without proper legal authority could face charges for unlawfully removing a body from the mortuary.
The deceased's body has since been moved to a private mortuary in Kisauni as the dispute continues.
The Changamwe police have since launched investigations into the incident.
Man exhumes wife's body due to nightmares
In other news, Gabriel Kiplimo exhumed his wife Nancy Namalwa's body three weeks after her burial, following persistent nightmares.
Source: Original
He cleaned the body, applied oil and lip balm, and discovered herbs inside the casket, which his late wife had reportedly communicated to him in dreams.
Upon exhumation, Kiplimo found that Namalwa had been buried with her underwear, which is contrary to the cultural practices of the Luhya community.
A close friend of Kiplimo, Timothy Barasa, explained that in their culture, burying a body with underwear is believed to hinder emotional closure and the ability to move on from a relationship.
Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
