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Fracas over release of body from Mwea mortuary. /JOHNSON MURIITHI
Drama unfolded at Mwea Mission Hospital in Kirinyaga on Wednesday after mourners stormed the mortuary to demand the release of the body of a 62-year-old man that had been detained over unpaid bills.
The deceased, Julius Mwangi from Kiratina village in Mwea, was scheduled to be buried at Kasarani Cemetery. However, the hospital management initially declined to release his body until a mortuary bill of Ksh 84,600 was settled.
Mourners, led by Pastor David Ngatia, accused the hospital of insensitivity, saying they only wanted to give Mwangi a dignified send-off. Mwangi was one of four members of the same family who perished in a fire incident at Ngurubani two weeks ago.
According to Martin Mutiga, the chairman of the burial committee, Mwangi had initially been admitted to the hospital after the August 16 fire. His medical bill amounted to Ksh 800,000, of which the Social Health Authority (SHA) cleared Ksh 300,000 while the committee raised Ksh 500,000.
βWe are appealing to the hospital management to release the body so we can proceed with the burial, which is only three kilometres away. We have already mobilized contributions from well-wishers and mourners, but the hospital is still holding on to the body despite our efforts,β Pastor Ngatia said.
The standoff lasted for more than five hours, disrupting the burial program and leaving mourners at Kasarani Cemetery frustrated.
βIt is now 2 p.m., and we are still waiting for the bodies. We cannot bury three and leave their father behind, especially since they are all meant to be laid to rest in one grave. We are financially constrained, and this delay is hurting us,β lamented Mary Wanjiku, a mourner at the cemetery grounds.
Relief finally came when Kenya Seed Company chairperson, Purity Wangui Ngirici, intervened and cleared the outstanding mortuary bill.
Β©Citizen Digital, Kenya
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- The deceased, Julius Mwangi from Kiratina village in Mwea, was scheduled to be buried at Kasarani Cemetery.
Fracas over release of body from Mwea mortuary. /JOHNSON MURIITHI
Drama unfolded at Mwea Mission Hospital in Kirinyaga on Wednesday after mourners stormed the mortuary to demand the release of the body of a 62-year-old man that had been detained over unpaid bills.
The deceased, Julius Mwangi from Kiratina village in Mwea, was scheduled to be buried at Kasarani Cemetery. However, the hospital management initially declined to release his body until a mortuary bill of Ksh 84,600 was settled.
Mourners, led by Pastor David Ngatia, accused the hospital of insensitivity, saying they only wanted to give Mwangi a dignified send-off. Mwangi was one of four members of the same family who perished in a fire incident at Ngurubani two weeks ago.
According to Martin Mutiga, the chairman of the burial committee, Mwangi had initially been admitted to the hospital after the August 16 fire. His medical bill amounted to Ksh 800,000, of which the Social Health Authority (SHA) cleared Ksh 300,000 while the committee raised Ksh 500,000.
βWe are appealing to the hospital management to release the body so we can proceed with the burial, which is only three kilometres away. We have already mobilized contributions from well-wishers and mourners, but the hospital is still holding on to the body despite our efforts,β Pastor Ngatia said.
The standoff lasted for more than five hours, disrupting the burial program and leaving mourners at Kasarani Cemetery frustrated.
βIt is now 2 p.m., and we are still waiting for the bodies. We cannot bury three and leave their father behind, especially since they are all meant to be laid to rest in one grave. We are financially constrained, and this delay is hurting us,β lamented Mary Wanjiku, a mourner at the cemetery grounds.
Relief finally came when Kenya Seed Company chairperson, Purity Wangui Ngirici, intervened and cleared the outstanding mortuary bill.
Β©Citizen Digital, Kenya
Continue reading...
