This archive report was first published on 10 July 2020.
On a typical day, the burial of a 99-year-old man would not raise eyebrows. However, the COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented regulations, making the burial of Zakayo Migwi, a polygamous nonagenarian, a unique affair.
With the government stipulating that only 15 close relatives are allowed in a funeral, the family in Meru was faced with a dilemma on how to perform the burial rites of their patriarch. Migwi died barely five months short of his 99th birthday, leaving behind 10 wives, 24 children, and more than 200 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Isaiah Migwi, the patriarch's fourth child, said only 36 of his siblings, four wives, and 200-odd grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren attended the burial. The family managed to wriggle through the dilemma, holding the ceremony with family members being the only attendants. The police watched helplessly as the burial ceremony took place.
According to Isaiah, the family lit a huge fire near the burial site and would continue to feed it with firewood until all close family members arrive from different parts of Kenya. Migwi made his wealth as a road constructor and coffee farmer, credited with opening many of the major roads in the Igembe region.
One of his wives, Mary Kambura, attributed his long life to a strict diet, which included mashed bananas, potatoes, yams, and millet porridge. He kept off rice and ugali, she said.
Published on July 10, 2020, in The Standard.
