This archive report was first published on 22 June 2020.
Abenny Jachiga, a renowned Ohangla musician, passed away on June 11th, 2020, after a short illness. The news of his death was shared on social media.
According to reports, Jachiga was admitted to a private hospital in Kisumu, where he died. However, due to government regulations aimed at preventing the spread of Covid-19, he did not receive a proper burial.
On June 12th, 2020, Jachiga's body was buried in the early hours of the morning. The burial was attended by a police officer who collected the body from the mortuary and Jachiga's brother, Austine.
It is alleged that Kisumu County Deputy Police Commander Peter Kattam and Kisumu East police boss Musyimi Mwendwa ordered the late-night burial to avoid a large crowd.
However, this decision was met with anger from Jachiga's fans and family, as it went against the Luo culture, which demands that a man be buried during the day unless he took his own life.
As a result, the community wanted to exhume Jachiga's body to give him a proper send-off. However, this was not possible.
Eventually, Kisumu County Deputy Police Commander Peter Kattam and boss Musyimi Mwendwa issued an apology for the indecent burial.
Musyimi acknowledged the officers' mistake and urged the community to forgive them, explaining that they had no choice but to follow the government's orders.
During a visit to the family, the police came bearing gifts and celebrated Jachiga's life, with Musyimi stating, 'We know Jachiga was a breadwinner, and that is why we have brought a few things to the family.'
