This archive report was first published on 6 September 2019.
On September 6, 2019, a family in Nkumbo village, Imenti Central, was left reeling after a court order halted the burial of their loved one, Jacinta Karura, over a disputed parcel of land.
Ms Karura's body had arrived at her home from the mortuary, and mourners had gathered for the burial when a court official arrived with the order, stopping the event in its tracks.
The dispute centered around a two-and-a-half-acre land, with the family claiming ownership and a rival claimant, Elijah Guantai Mikwa, seeking to bar them from trespassing.
Speaking to the Nation, Samuel Munene, Ms Karura's husband, expressed disappointment at the court's last-minute intervention, saying, "This is a big blow to my family and I because we have incurred a lot of expenses to prepare for this burial. Why did they wait until the last minute?"
Ms Karura's daughter, Rose Kendi, questioned the authenticity of the court order, pointing out that it was dated August 20, 2019, five days before her mother's death, and was based on an application dated December 31, 2019.
She called for an investigation into the matter, saying, "We have no way of determining if it is genuine."
