Former Nairobi county governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko found himself engraved in a family tussle involving the late Monica Achieng.
The late 13-year-old Achieng was killed while in Mwandero Primary School in Lungalunga, Kwale county during a school fight with a fellow pupil.
In a statement on Tuesday, December 13, Sonko highlighted the family’s plight, noting that they lacked the Ksh10,000 needed to bury their kin.
Sonko, who intervened and settled the amount, came later to find out that a tussle existed between Achieng’s parents which barred the young girl to be buried.
The girl’s parents, who separated before she died, were fighting about who is legally allowed to bury her.
It later turned out that the husband had not fully paid dowry for the girl’s mother hence being denied a chance to bury his daughter.
“As it turns out, the major issue was that Benson Odundo had not completed paying dowry for his ex-wife Janice Mueni before they divorced and she moved to Saudi Arabia,” he uttered.
Odundo was required to pay Ksh10,000 to have the freedom to bury his daughter but he only had Ksh5,000.
While highlighting the situation, the ex-governor swore to conduct a thorough background in the future to avoid such instances.
“I have now learnt a lesson, before I intervene to help I will be doing a background check so that I don’t find myself in a family fight,” he announced.
Despite the fracas, Sonko pointed out that the family came to a consensus and agreed to bury the body.
“We have finally gotten to a consensus and the late Monica Achieng can be laid to rest in peace. As of a few hours ago, I have dispatched my team that is taking Monica’s body to Bondo where the family is now in harmony that she will be laid to rest,” Sonko stated.
The late 13-year-old Achieng was reported to have been kicked by a fellow student with a shoe on her stomach following a scuffle during an interschool games session.
The class six student collapsed and was pronounced dead upon being rushed to Msambweni County Referral Hospital.
Source: kENYANS.CO.KE
