Drama ensued in Homa Bay after the burial of 12-year-old Kennedy Onyango scheduled at a home in Kamasengre village in Suba North constituency, Homa Bay County, was halted by police who were implementing a court order..
The minor died of a gunshot wound during the anti-government protests at Ongata Rongai in Kajiado County.
His mother Josinter Anyango had plans of burying her son in Rusinga Island while the other family led by Anyango's alleged ex-husband Denish Okinyi wanted the boy to be buried at a different location.
Okinyi wanted the deceased to be laid to rest at his home in Kisaku Village, Rangwe East Sub Location, Kaksingri West location in Homa Bay.
Anyango and other family members had initially taken the body from the mortuary in the capital city before moving to Homa Bay.
The body arrived in Rusinga on Friday afternoon.
But as soon as they got home, the family of Okinyi stormed the home and asked for the body for internment.
With them was a court order that directed the first family not to lay Kennedy to rest.
Okinyi sought orders from the Mbita Law Court to stop Anyango from burying her son.
Okinyi and his colleagues were accompanied by a group of police officers who ensured the court order was effected.
“Anyango and her friends from Nairobi first engaged Okinyi in a verbal confrontation. They were throwing words at each other as tension continued to build up,” a resident said.
It took the intervention of police officers to reduce the rising tension.
In the court order, Mbita Principal Magistrate Nicodemus Moseti certified the matter as urgent.
He ordered that the body of Kennedy be taken to the Sindo sub-county hospital mortuary for preservation.
“The OCS Mbita is ordered to enforce through orders herein. The applicant is directed to serve the respondents before the close of business today,” the magistrate directed.
Moseti set an inter-parties hearing on July 17.
The court will determine who between Anyango and Okinyi will bury the boy.
Both the conflicting families moved to Mbita police station together with the body after the court order was served.
According to Anyango, her alleged ex-husband was not present in the life of the boy.
Okinyi's family however told her off and insisted that Kennedy is their child and they must bury him at their home.
Okinyi’s lawyer Edmond Kobil said his client wanted the body to be preserved near his home where burial arrangements would be easy.
Police used the court order to temporarily solve the matter.