The family of late data protection pioneer Rosemary Koech has broken its silence on her night burial, saying the decision was guided by Kalenjin cultural practices and specific traditions of the Kipkendek clan.
A Kipkendek clan elder, Arap Keter, said the unusual timing of the burial was not a result of a family dispute, but followed customs governing the handling of deaths that occur under circumstances similar to Koech’s.
The elder, who described Koech as his cousin, said the family was shocked by her death and held lengthy discussions before making decisions on her final rites.
“Tulifanya lengthy discussions as you have seen on the media and whatever, even though the media is actually… Ni mambo yao ndio wanauza tu na gazeti. Mtoto wetu alipita mahali yenye alipita,” he said.
The elder said the clan’s customs do not allow a person who dies in such circumstances to remain unburied for several days, particularly after a postmortem examination.
He said the family therefore had to follow traditional procedures soon after the postmortem, explaining that the practices were intended to prevent what the clan considers a possible recurrence of a similar tragedy.
““Lakini kwa culture, mtu akipitia mahali yenye inapita kama hiyo, haifai akae ata siku tatu ama nne. Pia mtu akifanyiwa postmortem, kwa kwetu ama kwa culture, haistahili ata akae siku mbili kabla hajawekwa kwa chini.”
“Na kuna mambo mingi ambayo inafanywa. Ndio unaona sasa tulifanya hiyo mambo kwa sababu kuna kimila ambayo inafanya hiyo ili ikiwa kitu kingine isitokee kama hiyo. Ndio labda pengine watu wengine wanasema, ‘Why did you do this? Ulifanya namna gani? Ulifanya namna gani?’ We did that one purely because of the culture and the rule ama sheria kulingana na kimila ya Kikalenjin, sio Kipkendek pekee yake.”
Why the clan carried out cleansing rituals
The elder said the Kipkendek clan has additional practices that are followed when a member dies under unusual circumstances.
“But specifically, according to our clan, hatutaki kitu ambacho sasa hivi naweza kufuata. Ndio unaona sasa ata mambo mengi ambayo unafanya wale ambao unajua, tunafanya tunakata zile vitu zingine ambazo zinaweza kufuata sisi baadae.”
He explained that the family also undertook cleansing rituals involving items associated with the death.
Among the items he mentioned was a rope, saying the clan considers it important to subject such an item to a cleansing ritual and ensure it is not left behind for possible reuse.
“La kwanza, akienda hapo, kuna ile kamba ambayo labda pengine alikuwa anatumia. Hiyo kamba, itakuwa kitu ya maana kufanyia cleansing. Lazima kuna mbuzi ambaye tunachinja alafu tunaleta hiyo mafuta, tunaweka, alafu tunafanya hiyo kazi. Kwa sababu hatuwezi fanya hiyo kwa sababu ukiweka hiyo kamba tena, ama ile kitu ambayo alikuwa anatumia…”
He added:
“…kuna mambo mengine labda pengine mtoto mwingine ama mtu mwingine anaweza kuja kujinyonga nayo hiyo. Ndio unaona sasa tulifanya hiyo mambo, na, ah, zile vitu zingine tunaepuka nazo ni hii mambo ya kesho, mambo mengine yanaweza tokea ambayo sio mzuri.”
The elder said the rituals are not unique to the family, noting that similar practices exist within the wider Kalenjin community, although individual clans may have their own additional customs.
“Sio sisi pekeeetu, hata kwa Kikalenjin zote, lazima kuna vitu ambazo zinafanya, lakini ukikuja kwa ukoo, kuna mambo yetu ambayo sisi tunafanya kama ukoo. Ndio uliona sasa tulikuwa tunafanya hiyo kulingana na sheria ya ukoo.”
Family dismisses burial dispute
The elder also sought to dispel speculation that there was disagreement within the family over where Koech should be buried.
He said relatives consulted before settling on the burial arrangements and maintained that family members have their own rights to land within the family homestead.
“Na kusema ya pili, sisi hatuna shida na upande mwingine, Tuliuliza, baba Chemu, tunakwenda fanya wapi? Shamba lake iko hapa, na tuliweka kwa shamba lake, na hatukuweka kwa shamba ya Paul. Ama namna gani Bwana Paul?”
He added:
Kwa sababu sisi tunajua kuna mahali penye sisi tunaenda kama mtu sasa hivi ameenda kwa hapa, ata kama imekuwa strange, ndio kuna shamba lake kwa kila mtoto. Ukiona ata constitution ya 2010, pia inasema kila mtoto ako na right kupata kitu katika kwa boma la… kwa familia yake. Ndibo sasa tunasema ya kwamba even Chemu pia ako na yake.
The explanation comes amid public interest in Koech’s burial arrangements, particularly the decision to lay her body to rest at night.
The family has now clarified that the timing of the burial, as well as the rituals conducted around it, were based on Kalenjin cultural beliefs and specific Kipkendek clan customs, which relatives said were intended to honour the deceased, bring closure and guard against another tragedy within the family.
