The family of Celina Kazungu, a 22-year-old woman who died after alleged stabbing while working in Saudi Arabia, has started the burial plans.
The body arrived at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Tuesday morning from Saudi Arabia, where it has been for close to three months since her death on March 17.
The body was transferred to Malindi International Airport on Tuesday evening, where it was received by family members before it was transferred to Malindi Star Specialist Hospital mortuary.
Fred Kazungu, a brother-in-law to Celina, said body treatment and postmortem will be carried out on Wednesday to ascertain the cause of her death.
“We'll be at the mortuary today (Wednesday) at 11am for body treatment. We will also be working on the autopsy. I will keep you updated,” Fred told the Star on phone.
Celina left the country in July last year to work as a house help in Saudi Arabia, but on March 10 this year, her family received reports that she had been hospitalised in critical condition.
A week later she was pronounced dead.
The family has been struggling to transport the body back home for burial for the past three months.
A date for her burial is yet to be set; however, the family said she will be buried in accordance with the Giriama traditions.
“It was difficult to make any burial arrangements without seeing the body,” Fred said.
On Tuesday, as the family awaited Celina’s body, a somber mood engulfed the Kanoneni village.
The family members cried after the body arrived at Malindi Star Specialist Hospital.
A few women went in to unwrap the body, which had been sent to Kenya as a cargo.
Evelyn Mramba, a sister to the deceased, said they learned of their sister’s death through a recruitment and travel agent based in Malindi.
Mramba said for three months they have been struggling to have the body brought back home for burial.
“Every time we were given a date of the body’s arrival, but it was postponed at the last minute. Lastly, we were informed the body would arrive in Kenya on Sunday, later we were informed we should wait for Monday, but it arrived on Tuesday morning,” she said.
Mramba said as a family they are now happy to have finally received the body.
“It has been difficult, but we thank all those who helped us bring the body back home. The neighbours, friends, and family members who consoled us, we thank you,” she said.
The family said they are working to establish the real cause of her death since they only got reports that she was stabbed at her workplace.
-Edited by SKanyara
