A family in Gatwikira village, Kandara, Murang’a County, has been thrown into confusion and disbelief after their kin who was presumed dead and buried turned up alive.
The family of Joseph Kiarie will now have to exhume the grave where they had buried the body of the person they had mistaken for his.
35-year-old Kiarie, who had left their home to go work as a porter in Githurai 45 in June, lost contact with the family a month after leaving home.
“Nilikaa Nairobi, na na nikakaa huko sana bila kuchapa simu juu sina simu,” said Kiarie.
The family had received news that someone resembling Kiarie had been attacked and killed by thugs in Githurai 45 and that his body was lying at the city mortuary.
His brother who visited the morgue in the company of other family members identified the alleged body and were allowed to pick it for burial although some family members had raised their reservations.
Peter Mwangi, Kiarie’s friend, said: “Wakati ile Kiarie alitaka kuzikwa nilisema huyu siye Kiarie anazikwa hapa…tukasumbuana na watu nikawaambia huyu sio Kiarie….Kiarie atatoka kwa njia na atakuja huku.”
Bernard Kiragu, a resident of Gatwikira village, said: “Siku ya kuzikwa tulikuja hapa tukamwangalia wengine wakasema ni Kiarie, wengine wakasema si Kiarie…after hapo mazishi iliendelea na tukamaliza after miezi mbili tukapigiwa simu na mtu wa pikipiki akasema amepata Kiarie mahali tukaenda tukampata.”
Two months later, Kiarie called his mother who was grieving and told her that he had shifted to Gatura village in Gatanga where he was employed as a tea picker.
Mary Wambui, Kiarie’s mother, said: “Kiarie amepiga simu wakati mmoja nikachukua tukaongea na yeye akaniambia ‘mum, uko sawa?’ Nikamwambia ‘niko sawa.’ Nikafikiri huyo ni mwanangu na tulikuwa tumemweka kwa mchanga, nikapatwa na huzuni lakini nikashukuru Mungu.”
“Mimi kuniambia niko kwa shimo lakini si mimi…hii ni msalaba iko juu na ndio imeandikwa jina yangu, lakini hiyo siezi ogopa ju niko uhai. Sunday ntaenda kwa kanisa,” Kiarie stated.
Gatwikira Sub-Chief Nancy Njoki on her part stated that; “Kama serikali tunangojea uamuzi kutoka kwa korti ndio huu mwili utolewe na urudoshwe mahali unafaa kuwa.”
For now, the family awaits the court order to exhume the body and bring to a closure the bad memories.
