Wafula Chebukati: Kitale Residents Flock Former IEBC Chair’s Dad’s Home to View His Body
Kitale residents turned out in large numbers to view the body of former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chair Wafula Chebukati. His body arrived at his father’s homestead, escorted by boda boda operators who led the hearse in a grand procession.
The body was airlifted to Kitale before being transported in a limousine hearse to his ancestral home. Mourners lined up along the roads, singing dirges as men in uniform maintained order. Chebukati’s sons, Jonathan and Emmanuel, stood by their grieving mother as the body was placed in a tent for public viewing.
Government Promises State Funeral
During Chebukati’s memorial mass at Citam Church in Karen, Nairobi, his widow, Mary, revealed that the government assured her of a state funeral. However, she expressed concerns about catering for the expected 2,000 guests, mostly politicians.
“I was appreciating the financial support; it has been overwhelming. We were told we shall have a state funeral, but that will happen at home. However, for the state funeral, we still have to get support to meet certain expenses. As you are aware, if I am to host guests in the village, they will be more of the politicians’ guests than my own guests. But I have been told to host 2,000 people,”She said
Chebukati’s Father Insists on Ritual Viewing
The family requested prayers for the elderly man, who has been hospitalized since learning of his son’s death. She shared his struggles, stating:
“At this juncture, pray for them. My father-in-law is sick in the hospital. When I lost my parents, they became my immediate parents. When my father-in-law received the news, he was traveling to Nairobi and got into an accident, injuring his leg. Some metal remained in his leg, and it’s becoming septic.”
She confirmed that after spending time at his father’s home, Chebukati’s body will be transported to Sabatia, Kitale, for the final burial.
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Wafula Chebukati: Kitale Residents Flock Former IEBC Chair’s Dad’s Home to View His Body
