Sights and sounds: Sharon Otieno's funeral

Piece by: Uncle Chim Tuna
Entertainment

The late Sharon Otieno is being laid to rest today and these are just some of the photos from her funeral; photos of the coterge leaving the funeral home. Earlier in the day however, there was some confusion as her estranged husband failed to turn up to claim the body.

The family gave Bernard Owuor from Migori county 44 days to bury her, but he did not show up.

Mourners thronged the home waiting to view the body which arrived at 3.50pm yesterday.

Luo traditions dictate that a married woman be buried at her husband’s home, irrespective of where one dies. In the case of Sharon, the body would have been buried at Owuor’s home.

Sharon’s family yesterday said they decided to bury her at her grandfather Samuel Odege’s home in Magare because Owuor “failed to communicate”.

Sharon’s step paternal grandfather John Olweya and burial committee chairman Elijah Opiyo said Owour had not paid dowry to make the marriage official.

Olweya said Sharon will be buried in Odege’s homestead because a grandfather is considered an equivalent of a granddaughter’s husband. He said they waited long enough for Sharon’s husband to appear, but he did not.

Olweya said they stopped waiting for Owuor on Wednesday and decided to prepare the grave site.