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Anyona Body Returned to the Mortuary
- Details
- Published on Wednesday, 18 July 2007 01:24
Mr Stephenson Mageto successfully managed to enforce a court order he was granted stopping the burial until the controversy surrounding Sh1.3 million was established.
The Nyamira deputy officer commanding police station, Mr Boniface Kutswa, received the court orders and alerted officers on the ground to assist Mageto and other family members to remove the body from the home for preservation.
Mr Mageto had asked Nyamira police to assist him collect the body, which was taken to Mr Anyona's Gatuta home on Friday by a team of MPs who had vowed to defy the order and go ahead with the burial.
But yesterday, Mr Mageto arrived at the home armed with the orders which he served on the funeral committee chairman Njeru Kathangu.
Mr Kathangu, who was at the home to finalise today's burial programme, complied with the order but had bitter words for Mr Mageto. "I and my committee have done our part by bringing the Hon Anyona's body up to the home. But his spirits will haunt you for disturbing his peaceful rest."
West Mugirango MP Henry Obwocha, who had accompanied the body to Gatuta village the previous day together with area MP Mwancha Okioma, termed the decision to take Mr Anyona's body back to the mortuary "a tragedy and against the Abagusii customs".
As villagers led by Anyona's personal assistant Makori Karamu removed the casket from the incomplete house to a vehicle they had hurriedly hired, widow Esther Mokeira and Anyona's son Kwame broke down in tears, cursing the turn of events.
"My husband does not deserve this, cried the widow. After the drama, Mrs Anyona and her other children who had arrived yesterday morning from Nairobi, boarded a saloon car and drove out of the homestead in tears. With them were their friends who boarded a hearse and headed back to Nairobi.
As Mr Mageto, his brother Ondieki and sisters Nyarere, Nyaboke and Kwamboka led the convoy back to the mortuary, crowds that had streamed to the homestead cheered.
At Tombe trading centre, crowds said they fully supported his decision to demand word on the funds dispute before their hero was buried.
During the funeral service in Nairobi, Ford- People leader Simeon Nyachae dared Mr Mageto to try and stop the burial. The Nyaribari Chache MP had warned of trouble if such a move was made.
