Nyamira Governor John Nyagarama to be accorded State Funeral on Thursday

Nyamira Governor John Nyagarama who died last week will be buried on Thursday in a State burial being coordinated by the Ministry of Interior.

The funeral organizing committee co-chair Joash Nyamoko (North Mugirango MP) said the governor's remains will be flown on the same day from Lee Funeral Home before his internment at his Tente Home in Nyamira Town.

Nyagarama's body will be flown in a police chopper to Nyamira.

The late Nyamira Governor John Nyagarama [Sammy Omingo, Standard]

This is contrary to an earlier announcement by the Governor's press service that the body would be taken to the county on Wednesday for an overnight stay at his home.

The Governor's press team, through Facebook, had announced that the Governor would be flown to Nyamira on Wednesday where his body would be viewed at Nyansiongo, his Riamanoti home and eventually be taken to Nyamira Town where it would be kept for the night before interment on Thursday.

"Due to the prevailing Public Health protocols on Covid-19, we agreed as a committee that the body be taken from the Lee Funeral Home and be buried on the same day," Nyamoko said.

Mourners at the residence of Nyamira Governor John Nyagarama in Tente, Nyamira County. [Denish Ochieng, Standard]

Ten directors from eight Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) company factories in Nyamira and Kisii counties as well as the Nyamira Chapter of the Gusii Council of Elders offered their condolences to the family of the fallen governor and the Deputy Governor Amos Nyaribo and assured them of their support.

The two groups, while addressing journalists in Nyamira separately said they were in solidarity with Nyagarama's family during the trying moments.

The KTDA directors paid their tributes to the former governor whom they said had played a major role in reforms being enjoyed by tea farmers in the country.

"The Governor was the founder of the Chai Trading Company Limited which is a subsidiary of KTDA, and during his reign as a KTDA Director, he spearheaded a lot of changes that we are currently enjoying," Benjamin Matonda, the Gusii Tea Factory Directors chairman, said.

The elders, through their chairman, Peterson Meroka mourned Nyagarama whom they termed a patriot who had dedicated all his time in serving Nyamira residents.

The elders who were drawn from the five sub-counties of Nyamira asked Nyagarama's deputy, Mr Nyaribo to ensure he completes all the projects the county boss had initiated.