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MPs Defy Court Order On Anyona's Burial
- Details
- Published on Wednesday, 18 July 2007 01:25
Led by Ford-People leader Simeon Nyachae, the MPs used Mr Anyona's funeral service to tell his brothers and sisters, who had won an injunction against the burial, that the ceremony would go ahead as planned.
A brother of the former Kitutu-Masaba MP, Mr Stephenson Mageto wanted to delay Sunday's funeral in order to settle a funds dispute involving Mr Anyona.
But he was openly warned by Mr Nyachae, who declared: "Give us peace and allow us do our work. You are welcomed to the burial but do not come with that (court) nonsense. Come with wreaths, not court papers."
The Nyaribari-Chache MP spoke at a funeral service held at Nairobi's Railway Club, where MPs from Gusii condemned Mr Mageto.
They all stood by Mr Anyona's widow and children, who wanted the burial to proceed uninterrupted after a month's delay.
MPs present included Mr John Zebedeo Opore, (Bonchari), Mr James Omingo Magara (South Mugirango), Mr Joel Omagwa Onyancha (Bomachoge), Mr Stephen Kengere Manoti (Bobasi), Dr Hezron Manduku (Nyaribari Masaba), Mr Samson M'Nyang'au Okioma (Kitutu Masaba), Mr Henry Onyancha Obwocha (West Mugirango) and Mr Godfrey Okeri Masanya (North Mugirango).
A Kisii court had earlier barred the burial committee, led by politician Njeru Kathangu, from collecting Mr Anyona's body from Nairobi's Lee funeral Home for burial on Sunday.
Principal Magistrate Samuel Soita ruled that the case be heard with both parties present on Monday.
Mr Soita said there was need for the issues raised by Mr Anyona's siblings to be sorted out before the burial.
Electoral commissioner Mageto with four of his sisters are pressing for a delay of Mr Anyona's funeral until Sh1.3 million he collected from women's groups seven years ago is accounted for.
They hugged in court when their application was granted at 9.50 am.
But at the Nairobi prayers, leaders warned them not to set foot at Mr Anyona's Gatuta home in Kitutu-Masaba with the court order.
Said Mr Nyachae: "Do not dare to stop the burial. If you do utajua wa Kisii ni kichwa ngumu.Tutanyoroshana ! (you will know the Kisii are strong headed. We shall deal with you accordingly)".
Mr Mageto had claimed in court papers that the Chabumba women's group had threatened to burn Mr Anyona's body together with his newly-built house if the burial went ahead before the money was traced.
He added: "The mystery, if not solved, will cause the family ill-will, spite, embarrassment, stigma and inconvenience".
He wanted three officials of the women's group, Mrs Callen Onkoba, Mr Kennedy Ndege and Yunuke Bosire, to furnish the court with details and accounts of the funds raised on June 6, 1997.
But as the court was granting the injunction, mourners were removing Mr Anyona's body - laid out in a white coffin draped with a Kenya Social Congress flag - from a city funeral home and taking it to Railway Club.
After the service, the body was taken to Mr Anyona's family home at Nairobi's Dam Estate for an over-night stay.
He will be flown to Suneka airstrip this morning and taken to Kisii municipal stadium at 10.30 am for public viewing.
Meanwhile, police in Nyamira investigating the funds loss have recorded statements from women's leaders.
