Shock and disbelief, was the reaction of mourners in a Maragua village when they witnessed a fight over dowry for dead woman yesterday.
The in-laws' fight, which paralysed Pauline Muthoni's funeral service for two hours, caught Maragua MP Elias Mbau, former MP Kamande Buku and civic leader Elizabeth Mwangi, who among the mourners, offguard.
The standoff started at Thika Level five District Hospital mortuary after Muthoni's family demanded to be given "full dowry" before the burial could proceed. Muthoni, a mother of eight, died while giving birth to triplets.
The situation almost got of hand when Muthoni's body arrived at her matrimonial home at Mangoto when her siblings disrupted the photo session saying their in-laws did not have the right to take photos near the casket.
“You have not paid anything for her and you do not have any rights to bury her on your land,” said Muthoni's younger brother. A meeting between elders from the two families failed to agree on the mode of dowry payment forcing the chief and other local leaders to try to intervene and calm the situation.
A fight, which broke out between the two families sent the mourners scampering for safety. However, the fight ended after some youth from the area intervened and separated the two families.
Muthoni’s family members were chased away from the homestead and the burial proceeded amidst tension. The husband Patrick Mwangi said Muthoni died of child birth complications.
He said he could afford the dowry the in-laws had demanded because he and Muthoni have been struggling to look after their five children in primary school. Mwangi said Muthoni's death is a big blow to him. He appealed to wellwishers to help clear Sh70,000 hospital bill and assistance to raise the triplets.