On April 10, 2020, James Onyango, a 59-year-old father and husband, died of Covid-19 after traveling from Mombasa to his rural home in Ukwala, Siaya County. His family members, some of whom are now quarantined, had just been informed of his death when they were woken up in the middle of the night by the sounds of hoes pounding the ground in the presence of armed policemen and county health officers.
James' body was placed in a body bag and buried in a shallow grave, less than two meters deep, in a midnight burial that contravened Luo culture and World Health Organization guidelines. The family has condemned the burial, with James' younger brother, Zack Onyango, who is quarantined in Siaya, decried the 'disregard for family rights' and the 'psychological impact' the burial could have on the deceased family.
According to Zack, the family had intended to give James a decent burial during the day, but the county health officers and police rushed the burial at night, allegedly to shield the village and close family members from the danger of contracting Covid-19. However, the family has raised questions about the government's testing of James and the declaration of his death as a Covid-19 victim, given that it takes days for the results to be out.
As of now, over 16 close family members are quarantined as they await to be tested for Covid-19. The family is requesting the government to allow them to accord James a decent burial as required by Luo culture, which includes removing the body from the grave, taking it to the mortuary, and then burying him in a coffin.
