This archive report was first published on 10 September 2019.
On September 10, 2019, a group of Kenyans in Dallas, Texas, gathered to discuss the secret burial of Thomas Ong'esa, a respected member of the Abagusii community, by his wife, Eucabeth Angima.
According to reports, Ong'esa's family and friends in Kenya were not informed of the burial plans, and the community in the US was left reeling in shock.
Ong'esa, a native of Bobasi, had lived in the US for over two decades and was well-respected in the community. His wife, Eucabeth, is from Bomachoge in Kisii County.
The organizers of the meeting, led by Evans Orenge Ombati, Isaac Gitoi, Duke Ogoti, and Barnabas Ombaba, appealed for patience and promised to pursue dialogue with Ong'esa's wife to reconsider her decision and exhume the body for a decent burial in Kenya.
"We're not against late Thomas Ong'esa's burial in the US, but the secretive manner the rite was planned and conducted, and his hateful disposition has acquired him a large circle of community members, family, and friends deeply lament his death," said Evans Orenge Ombati.
The community's dismay was evident, with many wondering how a respected elder could be buried in such a manner. The late Ong'esa's father, Paul Ong'esa, has since appealed to the community to use all available avenues, including legal means, to ensure the body is exhumed and buried in Kenya.
