The village of Bonyakoni in Masimba town, Kisii County, was shrouded in a veil of fear, sadness, and mourning when the body of an unidentified woman was discovered abandoned in a coffin by the roadside.
Allegedly, the deceased had ties to the area, having been married in a nearby home, but was subsequently cast out due to purported infertility. She then went on to form a new union, only to meet her demise later on.
According to accounts, her kin retrieved her remains from the mortuary and left her beside the road leading to her former marital residence. Eventually, her body was taken by her first husband’s family, who laid her to rest without observing the customary funeral rites of the Omogusii community.
Members of the Omogusii community were quick to denounce this treatment, asserting that regardless of any perceived shortcomings in her life, the deceased deserved better than to be abandoned in such a manner.
Elder Obino Nyambane, responsible for overseeing community customs and traditions, voiced his disapproval, highlighting that according to Omogusii customs, a woman who had been married and her bride price paid, ought to be returned to her marital home upon her demise. However, he emphasized that both those who left her body and those who buried her without proper ceremony had failed to uphold the traditions that would ensure peace for her spirit.
The incident drew widespread condemnation from the community, underscoring the importance of respecting cultural practices even in the face of personal grievances.
