This archive report was first published on 10 August 2019.
On Friday, a former secondary school principal, Peter Njagi, was finally laid to rest in a 30-minute ceremony at Karia village in Kirinyaga County.
The burial was a stark contrast to the dignified sendoff one would expect for a former principal, given the circumstances surrounding his death five years ago.
According to his nephew, Moses Munene, Njagi had three wives who were recognized by the extended family, but a domestic row over property between them had led to a court injunction.
The second wife, a retired teacher, had allegedly filed the injunction, which sparked a disagreement with the other two wives.
During the burial ceremony, she denied mourners access to the compound, forcing them to conduct the ceremony under a tree.
Relatives were angered by her actions, lamenting the unfair treatment of the former principal.
Reverend Canon Johnson Maricho and Rev. James Njue of Ciagini Anglican Church urged families to end disputes and live in harmony.
Maricho also advised men to avoid having multiple wives and to provide for them independently.
“I would like to urge men not to have many wives and should they have, let them at least build houses for them independently,” Maricho said.
