There was drama at a Murang’a village when a family tried to bury a child in secret, shortly after he died, but was stopped by villagers. The eight-year-old class two learner died on Wednesday morning at Gitaro village in Kiharu, reportedly after suffering a stomachache.
The family planned a quick burial but villagers stormed the home, stopped the process and called police. The officers dispersed the residents and took the body to Muriranjas hospital mortuary.
Neighbours said the family had isolated itself from the community and claimed they were members of a peculiar sect which does not follow traditions.
“This home is the sect’s shrine. We do not understand…their way of worship is so peculiar,” one said.
Jackson Njoroge, the body’s uncle, said he learned of his death that morning and was shocked to find a coffin in the house when he visited later. Njoroge said he was also shocked that the family decided to bury his nephew without involving relatives and the community.
“This is a strange occurrence…we have never seen anything like this,” he said.
The uncle noted the family does not allow people to take their loved ones to hospital. He said when the boy broke his arm in the past, it took the intervention of teachers and police for him to be taken to a doctor.
Njoroge said he and the villagers will block the burial until the cause of the boy’s death is clear. Kahuro OCPD David Kandie said he dispatched officers as soon as negihbours informed him of the incident.
“We will conduct investigations to establish the cause of death and take appropriate legal action if it is found that the parents neglected the child,” he said, noting past cases in which members of that family were not taken to hospital.