Rare funeral as 'Royal Mother' is buried in a decorated grave

While most people are used to seeing mausoleums built after the burial, residents of Kanyibok village in West Yimbo last week witnessed a different kind of burial.

Dalan Rhuki, an apostle and the founder of Bride of the Lamb Ministries International Church, gave his mother a unique final send-off which has left the tongues wagging.

The mother, Marashan Raya, died three months ago and was buried at her home on the shores of Lake Victoria on Sunday in a ceremony that was attended by thousands of locals and guests. The burial ceremony, which lasted for more than seven hours, was also attended by clergy and politicians, among them former nominated Senator Elizabeth Ongoro. The proceedings were aired live and one could follow at the comfort of his/her smartphone.

For those who could not make it to the burial site, there were screens erected in every corner of the home.

For more than two months, the home was always full of villagers who feasted as the burial arrangements were being made. Rhuki, who had hit the headlines after he publicly declared to be an intersex person, explained that the goal was to give their late mother the best treatment both in life and death.

“We went through a lot of difficulties but it is my mother who accepted me the way I was,” said Rhuki.

Even though many people had attended the burial ceremony to see him, it shocked them when he failed to attend and instead followed and addressed the mourners virtually.

“My mother spent her life well. I took good care of her and I ensured that she visited almost all the best hotels in the world. I also bought her the expensive clothes that one could need,” he said. Rhuki explained that he could not attend the burial as he had planned because his flight had been cancelled. For several hours, locals and guests who had attended the burial ceremony witnessed the unusual service that was presided over by Legio Maria Church, alongside other denominations.

The white coffin was draped in a white flag inscribed “The Royal Family”, with the apostle’s portrait placed in a chair at the altar.

Both the coffin and the portrait were strictly guarded, with only church members and close family members allowed to get closer.

At the mausoleum, the concrete cast grave, fitted with neon lights and spongy lining awaited the final send-off of the ‘Royal Mother’.

The grave was covered with a fiberglass lid.

On Saturday, the Bondo-Usenge highway was treated to a rare convoy that carried the remains of Raya to Kanyibok village.

For several villagers, it was their first time to have a glance at a limousine as it snaked its way to the dusty Odongo-Uhanya road.

“We’ve witnessed funerals in our villages but this was a unique one. I have only seen limousines in pictures and movies but this was the first time that I saw it live,” said Michael Okoth, a resident of Kanyibok.

Many people came for the burial just to witness the strange happenings not witnessed in the village before.

“I had never seen a grave fitted with lights before. Having a burial where not even a pinch of soil is thrown into the grave is also strange,” said Mary Akoth.

Rhuki’s wife, Presican Fau, who was present at the burial, eulogised her mother-in-law as loving and caring.