The family of Caleb Otieno, the steel worker melted to death in Thika, plans to transport his ashes to his ancestral home in Kogony, Kisumu.
The family members visited the Blue Nile Rolling Mills facility on Sunday and collected the ashes, which were preserved at the General Kago Funeral Home in Thika.
Thika West DCIO Joseph Thuvi said the family “collected whatever remained of the man and kept them at the morgue awaiting a postmortem.”
He told the Star he plans to have an autopsy conducted on the remains and some samples taken to the Government Chemist for toxicological analysis. This will then pave the way for the family to carry out the final rites.
Otieno's rural neighbours and distant relatives said very little was happening in terms of burial preparations as the family was still in shock.
The clan members and an elder, however, are already meeting for burial plans.
But information gleaned so far suggests that the ashes will be transported to Kogony, put in an adult-sized coffin and buried in the normal way according to Luo customs.
An elder said if there are no remains, including ashes or bone particles, a trunk of a banana stem or Otieno's clothes would then have to tucked in a coffin and buried.
Otieno was crushed to death by rolling mills at the Blue Nile Rolling Mills Company on Friday.
(edited by Amol Awuor)
