A property tussle is brewing between the family of the late KDF soldier killed in an Al-Shabaab terror attack in El Adde, Somalia, in January 2016.
Family members of Captain Joseph Mbau Gichuhi now want to exhume the body of his widow, who died in a road accident two weeks ago at kikopey on the Nakuru-Nairobi highway.
Esther Muthoni, widow of KDF soldier has hurriedly buried at 5 am on Tuesday morning in Kongasis, Gilgil Sub-County, Nakuru County.
Area residents watched in disbelief as the bizarre ceremony unfolded before them.
Mbau family accuse in-laws of burying her without the blessings of the family.
“We decided to seek the court’s intervention to help solve the dispute before the shocking turn of events. While my father wanted her to be buried close to her husband in Murang’a, her relatives wanted the body laid to rest in Nakuru,” Mr Maina said.
The slain soldier’s father, Mr Hezbon Gichuhi, is said to have suffered a stroke after receiving news of the burial.
Mr Thomas Mungai, Mr Gichuhi’s brother, said he wanted to see his daughter-in-law buried next to her husband at his rural home in Maragwa, Murang’a County, in accordance with their traditions.
He wondered why his in-laws would fight over the body when their daughter was legally married to their son. He said that the family had paid some dowry and taken care of Ms Muthoni since her husband died in 2016.
“This was my daughter-in-law, we had even agreed with KDF to have all our son’s benefits transferred to her. We will not allow her body to remain here in the wilderness,” said Mr Mungai.
They accuse the Muthoni’s family of ill motive to acquire the property of their son.