Brothers finally buried after one month delay

Caskets bearing the remains of Kennedy Gitau Njoroge and Joseph Ndung'u Njoroge. [ Jane Mugambi, Standard]

Two brothers whose burial was marred by chaos last month were finally laid to rest in their home in Kiamanyeki village in Kirinyaga county.

Villagers, friends and relatives attended the funeral of the two siblings, Joseph Ndung'u, 36 and Kennedy Gitau, 29, who were lynched last month in Gategi village Embu county.

According to relatives, on February 4, Ndung'u invited his cousins and friends to celebrate after landing a driver's job in Qatar.

At around 10 pm, after celebrations, they parted ways so that Ndung'u could prepare for his journey, but a few minutes later, his cousins called him for help, saying they were in trouble.

Ndung'u called his brother Gitau and boarded motorbikes to rescue the cousins, but upon reaching the scene, they were surrounded by their neighbours who claimed they were criminals.

The two siblings identified themselves but were lynched by the locals. Plans to bury them last month fell into disarray after villagers and relatives of the two disrupted their burial demanding justice. In protest, locals filled their graves with soil, and planted banana plantations, and carried their caskets to Wang'uru police station, demanding the arrest of the people behind the lynching.

Deputy Governor David Githanda said leaders from the two counties are holding meetings to ensure there is peace between communities bordering each other.

Woman Representative Jane Njeri told mourners they were seeking justice for the two.