'I want to bury her', says man who lost wife in Saudi Arabia

Since November 27 last year when the news of his wife's death was communicated to him, Otieno has not gone to work, and for days now he has not taken a shower.

As Otieno narrates the challenges he is facing trying to bring the body of his wife back home, tears start rolling down his cheeks. Otieno says he only wants the body of his wife so as to bury her, heal and move on.

"Our neighbours, relatives and children are tired. We have waited for almost two months and as days pass, our hopes are diminishing," he says, adding that those who were to help him return the body no longer pick his calls. He says the family only receives vague news from strangers.

"The last report we got is that the postmortem had been done and it was established that her death was accidental," says Otieno.

He says he was promised that once investigations, which were expected to end by mid-December 2022 were concluded, the body would be flown back to the country.

"The money we raised for burial has been used up to buy food. I worked in jua kali and my business collapsed during the pandemic. We depended on my wife," he says.

Friends and family console George Otieno at his home in Nakuru's Flamingo Estate. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

The distraught father of four is now appealing to the government to help him bury Adhiambo.

Godwin Muhatia, a relative, says the family have been promised severally that her body would be brought home.

Anthony Kamau, who is in charge of the agency that processed Adhiambo's travel, says he has tried to reach the Kenyan Embassy without success.

"I am afraid but the process may take longer and the family may be forced to wait further before they can bury Adhiambo," says Kamau.