Kisii Family Forced to Bury Banana Stem After Morgue Refuses to Release Body Over Huge Bill

Grief took an unexpected and deeply painful turn in Kisii, where a family was forced to do the unthinkable—lay to rest not the body of their loved one, but a simple banana stem.

In the quiet village of Motonyoni, within Nyaribari Masaba Constituency, sorrow filled the air as relatives, friends, and villagers gathered for a burial that felt incomplete. There was no coffin carrying the body. No final glimpse. No proper goodbye.

Instead, in a moment that has since stirred emotions across the region, a banana stem stood in place of the deceased.

The family of 68-year-old Obadiah Mokua Obwogo had reached a breaking point.

For three long months, his body has remained at PNN Mortuary, held back due to an unpaid bill amounting to KSh 412,000. Despite their efforts—contributions from friends, neighbors, and well-wishers—they had only managed to raise KSh 100,000.

It wasn't enough.

According to the family spokesperson, Henry Ondieki, there had been hope. An agreement had initially been reached with the morgue that the body could be released upon payment of the KSh 100,000 they had painfully gathered. But when they finally arrived, ready to bring their loved one home, that hope was shattered.

They were asked for more money.

Money they simply did not have.

"It hasn't been easy getting here," Ondieki shared, his voice heavy with exhaustion. "We are financially depleted. Everything we had went into settling the hospital bill. We never expected the mortuary charges to be this high."

A Heartbreaking Decision

Faced with no options, and with the burial day already set, the family made a heartbreaking decision.

They chose to proceed without the body.

What followed was not just a burial—it was a statement.

A quiet protest.

A cry of frustration.

A reflection of a system many feel has failed the vulnerable.

Community Stands in Solidarity

Villagers stood in solidarity, helping the family carry out the ceremony. Some could not hide their anger, especially considering the family's recent loss of another relative—the deceased's own brother. The emotional and financial strain has been overwhelming.

For many, the image of that banana stem being buried will not be forgotten anytime soon.

It speaks of pain beyond words.

Of dignity challenged by circumstance.

And of a community stepping in when a family had nothing left to give.

Questions Raised

As the story spreads, questions are being raised—about compassion, about policy, and about how far families should be pushed, even in death.

Because in the end, every life deserves a proper farewell.

Rest in peace, Obadiah Mokua Obwogo.