Monica Okoth took Ken Okoth's body from Lee funeral home amidst drama for 'secret' cremation in the absence of his mother

Revealed: Drama that ensued at Lee before Ken Okoth’s body was taken at 3am for ‘secret’ cremation

Charles Ouma

August 3, 2019 5:20 PM

Why Ken Okoth's body was picked in the dead of the night for 'secret' cremation

File image of Ken Okoth

Drama ensued at Lee Funeral Home on Friday night after Kibra MP Ken Okoth’s widow Monica Okoth arrived at the facility in the dead of the night, demanding for her husband’s body.

K24 reports that Monica arrived at the facility at around 10 PM and demanded that the body be surrendered to her.

An attendant at the facility who spoke on condition of anonymity revealed that those who accompanied Monica claimed that there were plans by a section of Kibra residents to block all roads leading to Kariokor crematorium so as to thwart all efforts to cremate the remains.

The late Kibra MP Ken Okoth's memorial service was held at the Starehe Boys Centre Pulse Live Kenya

The attendant told the publication that “Monica’s team wanted Ken’s body taken that night so that they could proceed to Kariokor without the knowledge of the alleged dissatisfied constituents”.

"According to them, they wanted by the time the Kibra people were barricading routes leading to Kariokor, the process would have long been over”. He added.

Monica's team alleged that they were privy to plans by a section of Kibra residents to forcefully take the body for burial against the wishes of the deceased who reportedly chose to the cremated upon death.

'Secret' cremation after stand-off

Lee Funeral declined to release the body arguing that it was too late in the night, leading to an impasse that lasted for about four hours until 3 AM when the body was finally released to Monica and her team.

File image of Ken Okoth with Monica Okoth Pulse Live Kenya

K24 reports that the body was not immediately taken to the crematorium until around 7 AM.

It is not clear where the body was before the cremation exercise that was snubbed by Ken’s mother Angeline Ajwang Ongere, his lover Anne Muthoni Thumbi among others.

A nephew to the deceased identified as Elvis Oluoch lamented that Monica planned and executed the cremation exercise against the family’s wishes and in secret at a time when the family was preparing to bury the body in Kabondo Kasipul.

All through, we were making arrangements to have Okoth transported to Kabondo Kasipul and be rested on his mother’s land. We did not know that Monica had other plans,” Oluoch stated.

Charles Ouma