By Bonface Mulyungi
Emotional scenes engulfed Naivasha Referral Hospital as families of the 16 students who perished in the dormitory fire at Utumishi Girls’ School received DNA test results and formally identified the remains of their loved ones.
Authorities released one body to a family for immediate burial in accordance with Islamic rites. The remaining 15 families, however, will have to wait as the government finalizes plans for a joint memorial service to honour the victims before the bodies are released for burial.
Heart-wrenching scenes of grief and anguish unfolded as distraught families gathered for a second time, this time to receive the DNA identification results.
For many, the confirmation brought them face-to-face with the reality of the tragedy, as they identified the charred remains of their children, who were burnt beyond recognition in the horrific inferno.
The emotional toll proved overwhelming for some parents, who broke down in distress as they struggled to accept the findings despite the conclusive DNA evidence.
“I have viewed the body. The mother has refused to accept that it is Celestine. They were badly burnt,” said Jackson Meli, uncle to Celestine Meli.
“There are bodies that were severely charred, but we managed to match all the samples,” said Joseph Kimani, a forensic expert at the Government Chemist.
Following the conclusion of the week-long DNA identification exercise, the family of Zuhura Rama from Kwale County was cleared to collect her body for immediate interment. According to Islamic rites, the burial had already been significantly delayed due to the identification process.
“We have taken out our daughter. In our tradition, we bury quickly,” said Adam Ali, an Imam in Naivasha.
Meanwhile, arrangements for the remaining 15 families remain in limbo. The funeral organising committee is expected to issue fresh directives on a joint requiem service after the bereaved families rejected the initially scheduled date.
“This thing has taken long. Most of us have gone through enough pain. We are traumatised. The government is not considering what we have gone through. This is not a ceremony; there is nothing to celebrate,” said a family representative identified as Dan.
“We have listened to the families and we will sit down to reconsider the date,” said Langat Kimutai Stanley, a member of the funeral committee.
In the meantime, the government has announced financial support of Ksh.200,000 to each bereaved family. The support also extends to the family of Mama Faith Koskei, who died in a road accident while rushing to the school after news of the fire.
Following the confirmation of the DNA results, the families of the victims, except that of Zuhura Rama, will now wait for an unspecified period before laying their loved ones to rest, pending a joint requiem mass.
