A witness has told a family court that the children of James Mburu, father of Kiambu County Deputy Governor Rosemary Njeri Kirika, were excluded from discussions about where he would be buried.
Testifying before Magistrate Gerald Gitonga, Peter Chomba revealed that the children from Mburu’s first marriage to Felis were left out of the burial planning after an initial meeting was cut short due to disagreements among stepsiblings.
Chomba explained that the final decision on Mburu’s burial site was reached after Geoffrey Nganga presented a video in which the late Mburu appeared to specify his preferred burial location.
According to Chomba, during the meeting, clan elders sat together at one table as a symbol of unity and secrecy, agreeing to keep the decision confidential and not share it with the children who were opposed.
However, Chomba admitted he did not know who recorded the video that played a key role in determining that Mburu would be buried in Gilgil.
Under questioning by advocates Danstan Omari and Stanley Kinyanjui, Chomba was asked why he listed absent members as having approved the decision to bury Mburu in Gilgil rather than Gatanga. He responded that their presence at the meeting indicated their agreement.
Chomba also told the court that Mburu had, during his lifetime, expressed to those close to him that he wished to be buried in Gilgil.
However, the court noted that Chomba himself was not present when Mburu allegedly made this declaration and that he was relying on hearsay from an unnamed source.
The case will resume on April 15, 2025, with additional witnesses expected to give testimony.
