- Collins Onzore was finally given the burial his family had long believed was already done, but it happened at night
- In a ceremony guided by Luhya customs, the family performed unusual but meaningful rites to correct the painful mistake of a wrongful burial
- This included marking the first grave, which was exhumed days ago, with a banana stem as a symbol of reconciliation
Vihiga County – Residents of Chotero Village in Mbihi Sub-location witnessed an uncommon but culturally significant burial ceremony at night, as the family of Collins Onzere laid him to rest following a distressing mortuary mix-up.
Source: Facebook
The family had initially buried what they believed to be Onzere’s body after collecting it from a mortuary in Nairobi.
Rituals Vihiga family performed in night burial
However, it later emerged that the remains belonged to another individual from Kisii County, prompting an emotional exhumation process and intervention by authorities.
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A source told NgGossips that as part of long-standing Luhya cultural practices surrounding such burials, the family proceeded with a corrected burial under unique conditions designed to restore spiritual and social order.
“He was buried at night under the cover of darkness, an important cultural requirement meant to symbolically separate the error from the rightful rite,” the source said.
In addition, a banana stem was planted in the original grave where the stranger had been mistakenly interred.
Why Vihiga family performed rituals
Within Luhya tradition, this act serves as a symbolic cleansing and a marker of acknowledgement of the earlier mistake.
A fresh, separate grave was prepared for Onzere, where his remains were finally laid to rest with dignity and according to custom.
While such rituals may appear unusual to outsiders, they play a crucial role in helping families process trauma, restore harmony, and move forward after deeply unsettling experiences.
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The ceremony is expected to bring a measure of closure to a family that has endured both loss and confusion, underscoring the enduring strength of cultural traditions in times of crisis.
Source: Facebook
Social media reactions
Beyond the immediate grief, the incident has sparked broader conversations about the intersection of cultural practices and modern systems, such as mortuary management.
Shallvine Ndika:
“Kwani Collins alichanganya familia yake ama vipi, because kuchukua mwili different is not easy. Kuna venye aliwachanganya. Rest in peace, my schoolmate.”
Afandi Harriet Kasamba
“This family has passed through a lot lately. They need your prayers. Rest in peace, Collins Onzere.”
Jerry Ok
“Our rightful traditions never envisioned a situation where a wrong body would be buried because there were no such chances. The mortuary business is very recent; Gen Zs think it used to be like that, no way.”
Polycarp Ondieki’s grave exhumed
Meanwhile, police already exhumed the body of Polycarp Ondieki, who had been mistakenly buried in a process that left both families emotionally shaken.
The process was formalised through a court order, ensuring that the remains were returned to the rightful family for a proper send-off.
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This allowed both households to conduct proper burials and find some measure of closure after the distressing ordeal.
Source: NgGossips
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