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It's a Long Walk to the Grave

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Published on Wednesday, 18 July 2007 00:00
The trumpet call for former fiery politician George Moseti Anyona came one chilly evening on November 6 last year. But a court case conspired to complicate the saga that has become Anyona's funeral story. Twice detained-during the reigns of retired President Moi and previously during Mzee Jomo Kenyatta's rule- Anyona's lifeless body chalks up an average of Sh250 a day in storage fees at the private parlour in Kisii town. So far it has incurred a bill of close to Sh50,000, East African Standard's Haroun Wandalo and Nyakundi Nyamboga report. Soon after his death his burial was planned for December 7. This never happened. A Nairobi burial committee under the chairmanship of long time political comrade-former Runyenjes MP, Njeru Kathangu, made all the necessary arrangements and flew the body to Kisii.

But the burial was to be stopped by Anyona's elder brother, Electoral Commissioner, Stephenson Mageto, through a court order over Sh2.3m raised in a 1997 harambee for the Chabumba Women's group.

In stopping the burial, Mageto said he wanted to see his brother exonerated from the financial scandal before he was laid to rest. The court subsequently cleared Anyona of all blame.

At many funerals in Gusiiland, Anyona's has become a much-talked about case. But many, including his Bonyamondo clan are surprised that another case has been instituted by three other officials of Chabumba accusing the bank of transacting business with strangers. The officials have threatened to lynch any member of Anyona's family who might collect the body from the morgue.

In an interview, Mageto told East African Standard that he sees no need to hurry up Anyona's burial. He was a national politician who needs adequate time for a dignified burial. He says all the money he had was used in putting up a modern house for him worth Sh2.5 million.

Anyona's widow, Mrs Mokeira Anyona and his two children have never returned to Gatuta village since the arrival of his body and subsequent removal to a private mortuary. They have kept off the controversy.

On this 186th day, the controversy rages. But will they ever bury Anyona?