Bury or cremate? Kin of sports official feud

A burial dispute reminiscent of the 1980’s court drama between the Umira Kager clan and Wambui Otieno is in the offing.

Although the dispute involves a son of the same clan, the reason for the fight is different – whether Mr Joshua Hardy Okuthe should be cremated.

Mr Okuthe, 62, the chairman of the Kenya National Sports Council, died on July 5. His wife, Ruth Florence Okuthe, had planned to cremate him on Friday.

Her plans were, however, cut short after Mr Okuthe’s sister Deborah Odhiambo and another wife Zawadi Hadija Issa, moved to court and successfully stopped the cremation plans.

Mr Justice Hatari Waweru had issued orders sought by Ms Odhiambo and before the ink on the paper dried, Ms Issa was in the same courtroom seeking similar orders.

Resolve amicably

And for purposes of disposing of the matter quickly, Mr Justice Waweru consolidated both matters and ordered the parties to appear before him on July 22.

In her suit papers Ms Odhiambo says that efforts to resolve the matter amicably have failed.

And if not stopped, said Ms Odhiambo through lawyer Kioko Kilukumi, the suit would be rendered worthless since he would have been cremated.

She says the family met on Tuesday where Mrs Okuthe dropped the bombshell.

“The practice of cremating dead bodies is completely unknown and alien to the Luo customs,” said Ms Odhiambo.

Ms Issa on her part accuses the first wife of excluding her from the burial arrangements.

She claims to have had three children with Mr Okuthe, but one died at infancy.

In her suit papers, Ms Issa says that it was her husband’s wish for him to be buried next to their daughter in their farm in Muhoroni.

Ms Odhiambo who told the court that Mr Okuthe had, a week prior to his death, expressed his plans to be buried at his Muhoroni farm.