Kiambu: Residents Shocked as Court Stops Burial of 108-Year-Old Woman

Residents of Riabai village in Kiambu County were taken aback when a court intervened, halting the burial of a 108-year-old woman.

The family and acquaintances of the late Serah Mbaire Nganga were left stunned after a court order was served, suspending the burial due to an ongoing land dispute.

The court injunction was presented unexpectedly on Wednesday, February 14, just as all arrangements for the burial had been finalized. This unexpected turn came about after a family member, married to one of Mbaire’s sons, obtained the court order.

The petitioner argued that according to a will purportedly written by Mbaire’s husband, the deceased was not to be interred on the land in question.

However, Mbaire’s second-born son, Ndung’u Nganga, expressed deep sadness and frustration at the court’s decision to halt the burial on the family’s ancestral land.

Ndung’u revealed that the family was unaware of any subsequent subdivision of the land, something his late father had not disclosed to them. He also disputed the authenticity of the alleged will, stating that his father was too elderly to draft such a document, and even if he did, they were not informed.

The family members vehemently rejected the validity of the will, insisting that there were no discriminatory intentions towards Mbaire after her passing.

Ndung’u lamented the considerable financial resources expended in organizing a dignified farewell for their mother.

Anastasiah Wanjiru, Mbaire’s granddaughter, expressed the profound pain of experiencing such frustrations during the funeral of their beloved grandmother, whom they had cared for in her old age. However, she affirmed that her grandmother’s marriage had been in accordance with Kikuyu tradition.

Njuguna Wainaina, the chairman of the burial committee, expressed astonishment at the turn of events, stressing that they had encountered no obstacles during their planning meetings until the eleventh hour.

Wainaina emphasized that actions should be taken against the individual who sought the court order, causing distress to mourners and family members alike.