Still reeling from the shock of losing two relatives under mysterious circumstances in a foreign land, a family in Kisumu is now faced with the painful possibility of abandoning the bodies due to the country’s policy of burying unclaimed bodies in 30 days.
The family is now appealing to well-wishers to help them take the bodies of Catherine Anyango, 43, and her daughter Michelle, 25, from Finland, back home for burial.
The two were found dead inside their van at the main parking lot of a resort town in Finland on January 9.
Anyango’s mother, Ms Roselyn Aketch, said the family has not been able to raise enough funds for the burials.
Ms Aketch said the family has been advised to pick the bodies within 30 days or risk having them buried by the Finnish government.
“We have been running around to meet the deadlines since the deaths were reported … we only have 17 days left, yet none of us has been able to secure even a visa,” said Ms Aketch.
She said the total amount required for three close relatives to travel to Finland and bring back the bodies, and pay mortuary fees and other requirements, is Sh4.6 million.
The family was planning to travel to Nairobi to begin processing visas, but is yet to raise the Sh29,100 required for the three family members.