By Erestinah Jane, July 1, 2026
A family in Bungoma County is appealing to the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs to urgently intervene and facilitate the repatriation of the body of their 52-year-old relative, Wycliffe Maketi, who died while working in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The family says efforts to bring his body home have stalled due to cross-border health restrictions linked to an Ebola outbreak and conflicting information surrounding the circumstances of his death.
According to relatives, Maketi had been working in the DRC as a heavy plant machinery operator before news of his death reached the family.
However, they say the exact cause of his death remains unclear.
Family members claim individuals who first found Maketi alleged that he had been attacked by unknown assailants before being taken to hospital.
However, medical records from the health facility where he later died reportedly indicate that he succumbed to severe breathing complications.
The conflicting accounts have prompted the family to demand an independent post-mortem examination to establish the exact cause of death before his body is returned to Kenya.
Relatives say they have already raised KSh150,000 to hire a hearse to transport the body by road from the DRC to Kenya.
Their plans, however, were disrupted after the vehicle was reportedly denied passage following restrictions introduced along the Uganda–DRC border in response to a surge in Ebola cases.
The family says the border measures have effectively halted the planned overland transportation of Maketi’s remains.
Adding to their distress, the hospital where the body is being preserved has reportedly informed the family that its mortuary is operating under immense pressure because of the Ebola outbreak.
According to the family, hospital officials have issued a 14-day notice indicating that if the body is not collected within the stipulated period, it may be cremated or otherwise disposed of due to limited mortuary capacity.
The hospital has reportedly offered to cremate the body and facilitate the return of the ashes to Kenya.
However, Maketi’s family has rejected the proposal, saying cremation without the family’s presence goes against their cultural and religious burial traditions.
They insist they want their loved one returned home for a traditional burial.
The family is now urging the State Department for Diaspora Affairs and the Kenyan Embassy accredited to the Democratic Republic of Congo to urgently engage authorities in both the DRC and neighbouring countries to facilitate the safe repatriation of the body.
They are appealing for diplomatic intervention to secure the necessary health clearances or arrange alternative transportation, including a possible air transfer, to enable the family to give Maketi a dignified burial.
Relatives say they hope the government will act swiftly to prevent further delays and help resolve the humanitarian challenges surrounding the repatriation process.
