Mbita Law Court is set to deliver its judgment today on the burial rites of Kennedy Onyango.
The 12-year-old boy lost his life during anti-tax protests in Rongai, Kajiado County.
The court’s decision will determine whether Kennedy will be laid to rest at his mother Jacinta Anyango’s home or his father Denis Okinyi’s residence.
On July 6, a funeral procession was en route to Anyango’s home in Rusinga to bury young Kennedy.
Okinyi intervened, armed with a court order.
Okinyi, Jacinta’s former partner, had sought legal action to prevent her from burying their son at her new marital home.
He argued that Kennedy had been under his custody for most of his life and that Jacinta had only lived with the child for one year.
Jacinta, however, accused Okinyi of interfering with the burial plans out of financial motives.
She claimed that her ex-lover was only interested in taking control of the government-sponsored burial contributions, rather than genuinely caring about their son’s final resting place.
As a result of the legal dispute, Kennedy’s body, which was initially heading for burial in Rusinga, was redirected to Suba Sub-County Hospital.
There, it has remained in anticipation of the court’s ruling, scheduled for today, July 17, 2024.
The circumstances surrounding Kennedy’s death add another layer of sorrow to this already heartbreaking situation.
Justice for Kennedy
He was a victim of a gunshot during the violent anti-tax protests in Rongai, Kajiado County in June 2024.
The protests, which saw many people taking to the streets to express their frustrations, ended tragically/
Kennedy was caught in the crossfire and shot 8 times.
As the court prepares its final decision, the community waits with bated breath.
The outcome will resolve the dispute between Jacinta and Denis Okinyi.
And provide a semblance of closure for a grieving family and community.
