NYERI, Kenya, Mar 3 – A family in Nyeri took business owners and residents in the township by surprise on Tuesday after staging a rate funeral procession to fundraise for their kin’s hospital bill and secure the release of his body for burial.
The family from Gitathiini village in Nyeri Town constituency is unable to raise over Sh1 million partly incurred in medical and mortuary fees following the passing on of their relative on January 11 after a battle with cancer.
Carrying an empty coffin on a donkey cart, Robert Mureithi’s traversed the streets appealing for financial assistance from members of the public in a bid to secure the release of his body that has since been retained at the Umash Funeral Home.
The bill, family members said, now totaled Sh1,372,284.
Margret Wanjiku, a daughter to the deceased, said since then the family has tried to conduct fundraisers at home, but they have been unable to raise the money hence the resolve to move to the streets.
“We as a family have no alternative but to move to the street to seek assistance so that people of goodwill can hear our cries we have to bury our father whose body is currently rotting in the morgue after being detained,” she narrated.
Wanjiku said they were keen to give their father a decent burial adding that with the current situation, family members were unable to concentrate on with their day-to-day businesses.
The family has also obtained a letter from the area assist chief to hold an interdenominational prayer service and fundraising event at Kanoga Primary School grounds on March 15.
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