This archive report was first published on 9 November 2021.
November 5, 2021, marked a fateful day for the Kamau family, as a road accident claimed the lives of three of its members. The burial of William Kamau Gichatha, his wife Jane Njoki Kamau, and their granddaughter Everyln Waithera Kamau was scheduled for today, but an unexpected twist has thrown the proceedings into uncertainty.
A court order obtained by Hanna Njeri Gichatha, the stepmother of the late William Kamau Gichatha, has barred the family from burying the remains on their ancestral four-acre farm in Gaturi, Murang'a. The order, granted by Murang'a Principal Magistrate Edwin Nyaga, was issued on the strength of an ongoing succession dispute between the Kamau family and their stepmother Hanna, which is currently being heard in Nairobi courts.
The family, however, claims they were not officially served with the court order and had only become aware of it yesterday. Antony Irungu, one of the deceased's sons, stated that the community, including the Gakurwe Church, had been preparing the graves in anticipation of the burial. He insisted that the burial would proceed as planned, despite the court order.
The family's dispute centers around a land registered as Loc 15/ Gathuki ini/528, which has been a subject of contention since 2006. The case is being represented by lawyer Masore Nyang'au. The family's fight over the land has now led to a stalemate, with the burial of the three family members hanging in the balance.
