A family in Ebwicha village, Matayos Constituency in Busia County, is appealing for a lasting solution to allow them to bury their loved one, whose body has been held at the Busia mortuary for the past ten years.

According to the deceased’s family, the prolonged delay is due to a land dispute.

“We want the body to be brought so we can bury him where his father was laid to rest. His father’s land was allocated here. We do not want many complications. This case has been in court for a long time, but the judgment has not been delivered as required,” Joseph Odhiambo, the family spokesperson, said on Friday, April 3, 2026.

The uncertainty surrounding the burial has caused deep distress among relatives.

“We are worried that even after death, we do not know when we will be allowed to bury him or whether we will only be informed to go and bury him. We do not know if we will be burying just the bones or merely dust. We do not know when we will finally bury this child,” Didimus Khaseke, a relative of the deceased, explained.

The prolonged delay has also affected the wider family.

According to Consolate Awino, a village elder, the deceased’s children have been unable to attend school properly due to the ongoing emotional trauma.

“The children are not going to school because of the stress and uncertainty caused by this situation,” Awino noted.

The family has urged authorities to expedite a resolution to the dispute, emphasising that a timely burial is essential for closure and healing.

Residents have also called for intervention, stressing the need for the court to issue a definitive ruling so that the family can lay their loved one to rest.

Unclaimed bodies

This comes as hospitals across the country are giving notices for the disposal of the unclaimed bodies that have stayed in their facilities for a long period.

For instance, Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has issued a public notice urging families to claim 480 unclaimed bodies currently held at its Farewell Home, warning that the remains will be disposed of within seven days if not identified.

In the notice published on its website on March 24, 2026, the hospital said the bodies comprise 102 adults and 378 children, highlighting the urgency of the appeal to the public.

The management urged relatives and guardians to come forward promptly to identify and collect the bodies to avoid their disposal in accordance with the law.

“Interested members of the public are therefore requested to identify and collect the bodies within seven days; failure to which the hospital will seek authority from the courts to dispose of them,” KNH stated.

Citing the Public Health Act, the hospital moved to address overcrowding by disposing of bodies unclaimed for over 21 days. Under Kenyan law, this process requires both a public notice and a court order.

The situation reflects a broader strain on the health sector, as bed space in mortuaries is increasingly occupied by remains that families, hindered by poverty or a lack of information, are unable to collect.

“Pursuant to Public Health Act Cap 242 [Subsidiary Legislation PUBLIC HEALTH (PUBLIC MORTUARIES) RULES, 1991], interested members of the public are therefore requested to identify and collect the bodies within 7 days, failure to which the hospital will seek authority from the courts to dispose them,” KNH stated.