Fridah Kanana Kithinji is fighting a battle no mother should ever have to face: the right to decide how her three deceased sons are laid to rest while navigating a crushing wave of grief.

Following a horrific road accident that claimed the siblings' lives, Kanana has reportedly halted burial preparations, accusing her estranged husband of bypassing her in the planning of the final rites—a move that has turned deep mourning into a bitter domestic dispute.

A Journey That Ended in Tragedy

The sequence of events leading to this standoff is steeped in double tragedy. According to the family, the three boys had traveled from Bungoma to Meru to attend the funeral of their grandmother. It was a journey meant to comfort their mother, who had returned to her ancestral home following the collapse of her marriage.

Jamlick Kithinji, the children's grandfather, noted that the boys had previously lived with their mother in Meru. However, financial constraints regarding their education forced a difficult decision: the children were sent back to Bungoma to live with their father, where schooling was deemed more affordable.

Tragedy struck on their return leg. After burying their grandmother, the boys boarded a vehicle back to Bungoma to resume their studies. They never made it home. All three perished in a road accident, leaving a family already in mourning to grapple with an even greater loss.

Estrangement and Exclusion

The grief has been compounded by a breakdown in communication between the parents. Reports indicate that Kanana’s estranged husband, who resides in Bungoma, proceeded to set a burial date without consulting her.

In Kenya, where burial rites hold immense cultural and emotional significance, the exclusion of a parent—particularly the mother—is often viewed as a profound slight. Kanana’s move to stop the burial underscores the heavy emotional toll of the separation.

• The Conflict: The father set the burial date unilaterally.
• The Demand: Kanana seeks consultation and involvement in the send-off.
• The Context: The couple is separated, with the mother in Meru and the father in Bungoma.

As the family attempts to navigate this impasse, the community watches with bated breath, hoping that a consensus can be reached to allow the young souls a dignified send-off. For now, the date remains uncertain, suspended between the father's plans and the mother's plea for inclusion.