Kenya's First Covid-19 Victim Buried Under Strict Supervision, Two Weeks After His Passing

Engineer Maurice Barasa Namiinda, the first Kenyan to die of coronavirus, has finally been buried, two weeks after his passing. 

Namiinda, who succumbed to Covid-19 at the Aga Khan Hospital on March 26th, was laid to rest at his rural home at Naisambu village in Kitale, Trans Nzoia County.

The 66-year-old was buried in a brief ceremony that lasted about 30 minutes and attended by his immediate family members.

His remains were ferried from Nairobi to Kitale on Tuesday morning by police officers and health officers, who also supervised the burial ceremony to ensure safety guidelines issued by the government were strictly followed.

“It was brief … only a few close relatives were allowed [to attend] under the supervision of public health officers, police and government officers,” said Trans Nzoia county Commissioner Samson Ojwang.

Protus Khisa, one of his brothers, said the reason why it took them long to bury their kin despite a government order requiring bodies of Covid-19 to be disposed of within 24 hours is that close family members had been placed under quarantine for 14 days.

“We endured a long period of psychological torture not knowing if our brother would be cremated or buried according to our customs,” he said.

“We are relieved that he was given a decent burial like anyone else and that we can see his grave.”

The deceased was diagnosed with Covid-19 after returning to the country from South Africa via Swaziland and was suffering from diabetes. He leaves behind a wife, five daughters and two sons.