Family Relieved As Communication Authority Director Okeng’o Settles Mortuary Bill In Kisii
The Mt Kenya Times 
Rachael Mbera, Ongeri’s widowed mother
By Elizabeth Angira
For many families, the pain of losing a loved one is compounded by the harsh reality of funeral expenses.
This was the heartbreaking plight of Ndego Mbera’s family from Boruma village, Nyaribari Chache, Kisii County.
The family had been unable to raise KSh 75,000 to clear mortuary fees for their son, Ongeri Mbera, whose body had been lying at Mama Lucy Hospital Mortuary in Nairobi for weeks.
Ongeri had traveled to Nairobi in early November in search of greener pastures.
However, after a few days, the family lost contact with him, as did the person who had promised to connect him to a job as a sugarcane seller.
Their worst fears were confirmed on November 22 when a post circulated on Facebook showing Ongeri’s ID card and stating that his body was at Mama Lucy Hospital Mortuary.
For over a month, the family struggled to raise the required fees.
Despite contributions from friends, family, and neighbors, they only managed to collect KSh 35,000, far short of the needed amount.
The situation took a turn for the better when Okeng’o Nyambane, the Director at the Communication Authority of Kenya, stepped in and cleared the remaining bill.
Rachael Mbera, Ongeri’s widowed mother, expressed deep gratitude. “It’s a relief amidst the pain. I was worried I would never be able to bury my son,” she said
As a widow with three children, Rachael has been struggling to educate her two daughters.
The burden of funeral expenses had left her feeling helpless and vulnerable to social stigma.
“Poverty is a disease I wouldn’t wish on anyone. I was worried people would ridicule me for failing to bury my son at home. But God heard my prayers and sent me an angel. Now I can finally give him a proper burial,” she said.
The family is now preparing to lay Ongeri to rest, thanks to the timely intervention of a compassionate benefactor.
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