Police boss storms late MCA’s funeral, orders body be returned to mortuary

The funeral of Kiamokama Ward MCA Ken Mainya was disrupted Thursday after Kisii County Police Commander Jebel Munene ordered the remains of the late ward rep be returned to the morgue.

According to Munene, it is suspected that Mainya died of COVID-19, and the manner in which his funeral was being conducted posed a great health risk to mourners.

According to the Kisii police boss, plans to have Mainya’s body viewed by members of the public at the Gusii Stadium on Thursday afternoon could have led to further spread of COVID-19 as there were no measures put in place -- in advance -- to ensure the mourners adhered to social distancing guidelines.

Mainya’s burial will now take place on Friday, November 13 in Nyaribari Masaba. The late MCA’s body was returned to the Kisii County Referral Hospital morgue.

Mainya died in Narok on November 1, when he was being driven to Nairobi for treatment.

Mainya had fallen ill while at home, and was rushed to the Oasis Specialist Hospital in Kisii on October 29.

However, on November 1, he was referred to a Nairobi hospital for specialised treatment. It was while on his way to the capital city that he succumbed to his illness.

Ken Mainya was elected as Kiamokama Ward representative to the Kisii County Assembly in the March 4, 2013 general election through an ODM Party ticket, and retained the seat in the August 8, 2017 election.