Land dispute leads to exhumation of 15-year-old grave in Eldoret

A family in Uasin Gishu caused shock after exhuming the body of their father, who was buried 15 years ago, to protest over a land dispute in which they have been threatened with eviction.

Family members early today dug out the grave of their father Noah Tanui who was buried 15 years ago at the 17-acre land located at Chemalala along the southern bypass in Eldoret City.

Elders intervened and stopped the exhumation, but the casket in which the body was buried could be seen in the open grave.

The family has had a long-running dispute and point fingers at one of them, who they claim to be well-connected, of scheming to evict them from the prime land.

Two days ago, members of the family had tilled the land and planned to grow maize, but a group of armed goons raided the land, leading to a physical confrontation in which some were injured.

A family member Faith Jepkorir, said they were angry with being frequently frustrated by one of them, who claims to be well-connected and wants to take over the land.

“She has been hiring goons to frustrate us every time we plan to use the land left by our father,” she said.

Jepkorir claimed that the goons had threatened to kill the family members because of the land.

“She comes here always telling us that she is very well connected and will use her powers to take over the land,” Jepkorir alleged.

Jepkorir claimed his brothers got angry and were exhuming the body of their father out of frustration.

“It is so painful because this is our home and we can not accept to have one individual use external forces to remove us from our ancestral home,” Jepkorir alleged.

The incident caused shock in the area as villagers streamed into the home to witness the incident.

A village elder said the incident had been reported to the police, who were expected to visit the home.