Mediation Ordered for Slain Boy's Burial Dispute

Mediation has been mandated by the Mbita Law Courts to resolve the burial dispute of Kennedy Onyango, the 12-year-old tragically killed during protests in Rongai. The directive, issued by Magistrate Nicodemous Moseti yesterday, sets the stage for a pivotal attempt at reconciliation between Denish Okinyi and Jacinta Onyango, the estranged parents locked in a poignant disagreement over their son's final resting place.

Present in court, both parties were urged to embrace mediation as a means of resolving their differences peacefully. Failing that, the court warned it would proceed with a full hearing. Concerns over viewing the body at Sindo Morgue prompted the court to order the transfer of Kennedy's remains to Rongo Rosehood Funeral Home, a decision prompted by Humphrey Obach, the respondent's lawyer, who highlighted potential tensions.

The dispute, which flared into drama on July 5, 2024, centers on conflicting wishes regarding Kennedy's burial location. While Jacinta seeks to inter her son in Kamasengre on Rusinga Island, where she resides following her remarriage, Denish insists on Kausuku Village in Suba Sub-County. Their opposing stances reflect not only geographical separation but also emotional and familial complexities.

Today, in Homa-Bay Town, mediation efforts commence, poised to navigate the delicate terrain of grief, legal rights, and parental wishes, all while striving for a resolution that honors Kennedy's memory amidst heartrending circumstances.