Kenyan Family Seeks Justice After Daughter Buried Abroad Without Their Approval

A family in Embu County is seeking answers after their daughter, Catherine Nyawira, was buried in Saudi Arabia without their knowledge or consent.

Nyawira, who had been working in Saudi Arabia since 2011, died on 1 August 2025 following a period of illness. Her relatives in Karuruma village, Runyenjes, were informed of her death and told that repatriating her body would cost Sh450,000. They were given 25 days to raise the amount and immediately began fundraising, expecting her remains to arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. 

However, on 16 August, nine days before the deadline, they were notified that she had already been buried abroad. The family said they had made arrangements for her funeral in Kenya and were devastated by the abrupt burial. Her father, Damiano Nyaga, said they had not been consulted and appealed for government assistance to bring her remains home. 

“Nyawira had two children who had not seen her in 15 years. We want the government to help us bring her home so we can bury her ourselves,” he said.

Her mother, Margaret Nyaga, expressed deep grief, saying she had been denied the chance to say goodbye. “How do I accept that my daughter is gone when I never saw her body? Please bring my child to me. That is the only way I can find peace,” she said.

According to her sister, Josephine Wanjeru, Nyawira had been seriously ill in July and was briefly in a coma. After recovering, she began preparing travel documents to return to Kenya for medical treatment and to reunite with her family. She died before the arrangements could be completed.

Nyawira’s daughter, 19-year-old Margaret Karimi, said the loss had left her heartbroken. “She always supported me. We dreamed of finally being together,” she said.

Efforts to repatriate her body were coordinated through the State Department for Diaspora Affairs and the Kenyan embassy in Saudi Arabia. Her cousin, Sam Mwaniki, said a formal request had been submitted before the burial took place. He also said that officials had acknowledged similar cases, with at least six other Kenyans reportedly buried in Saudi Arabia without the consent of their families.