Homa Bay Widows Warned against Picking ‘Strangers’ as Inheritors: “Choose from Known People”
- The Luo tradition mandates a family to choose an inheritor for a widow, but that practice seems to be slowly fading away
- A new trend has emerged in Homa Bay where some widows are the ones picking who inherits them, in some cases, they settle on foreigners
- The matter has now raised security concerns, especially in Kanyipir village within Rachuonyo West sub-county, which is home to over 400 widows
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The Luo tradition dictates that when a husband dies, the family has the duty to choose a person to inherit the widow and continue the deceased's lineage.
Source: UGC
This practice has been followed for years, but a new trend is emerging. Some widows in Homa Bay are allegedly going their way out to choose an inheritor for themselves.
Homa Bay widows selecting strangers as inheritors
While the practice has been embraced by some family members, there have been concerns over strangers taking up that important role.
The concern is growing in Kanyipir village, Rachuonyo West sub-county, which has a huge number of widows.
Area chief Israel Amadi notes that there have been cases of some inheritors fleeing after committing a crime, making it hard for authorities to trace them.
"At times, the widows themselves seduce the men they wish to inherit them, but they may not know the finer details of these people, especially when they are foreigners. So, when they commit a crime and flee, we can't trace them," the chief explained.
It is from this context that Amadi has now asked the widows to consider settling for a person well-known in the society as her inheritor instead of bringing in a stranger.
He believes this move will ensure the safety of both the widow and the community.
"I would advise that the widows pick inheritors from known people from the village rather than strangers who can't be traced in case anything happens," the administrator said.
However, the chief admitted that in the case of young widows, they are permitted to choose their preferred inheritors, including a foreigner, but only after the inheritor presents their national identity card to his office to ensure easy tracking in the future.
Amadi further pointed out that land succession remains a major challenge for widows in Homa Bay.
"Most of the time, they do not have the finances to lead them through the succession process, and most of them have faced challenges with their brothers-in-law," the chief said, as he called on well-wishers to come out and support them through the process.
How Homa Bay widows are addressing economic challenges
Meanwhile, some widows in Kanyipir have turned to empowerment initiatives to address their economic challenges.
Valary Adoyo, a widow for 19 years and mother of three, acknowledged the impact of mentorship programs offered by Polycom Girls, an organisation that amplifies the voices of women and girls through advocacy, capacity-building activities.
Source: Original
Through these programs, over 10 table banking groups have been formed, helping widows meet financial needs and support their children.
Kanyipir location is home to over 400 widows, many of whom continue to grapple with social and economic challenges. Local leaders and residents are now calling for stronger community support systems to safeguard their rights and welfare.
"We have tried and done our best to educate the children we were left with using the table banking services in our groups, but they have lacked job opportunities,” the widow added.
Migori widow attacked by inheritor
Previously, TUKO.co.ke reported that a widow in Migori was left with serious injuries after she was attacked by her inheritor.
The 43-year-old widow from Michicha village in Suna West sub-county is said to have been attacked in a row over KSh 80,000 she got after selling part of her land.
According to the widow, the money was meant to be used on her son's school fees, but the inheritor, who had been with her for barely two weeks, took it all after the attack.
Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
Florence Owiti (freelance editor) Florence Owiti is a bold print journalist who covers current affairs topics including politics, climate change, courts and crime, devolution and governance. She has reported for TUKO.co.ke from mid-2022 from Homa Bay and neighbouring counties. She possesses a diploma in journalism and media pursued at Kenya Coast National Polytechnic. You can reach her at flowiti0098@gmail.com.
Joshua Cheloti (Editorial assistant) Joshua Cheloti is a multi-skilled journalist with over 5 years of experience in the media industry. He holds a Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication and is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Media and Communication at Mount Kenya University. At TUKO, he's an editorial assistant. Before TUKO, he worked at Nairobi Review as an editorial writer, at Hope Media (Hope TV and Hope FM) as a correspondent in Eldoret, Hivisasa.com digital content editor and online writer, at Biblia Husema Broadcasting (BHB), Eldoret as Radio Presenter. Email: Joshua.cheloti@tuko.co.ke
