Sharon Otieno’s emotional burial in pictures
The slain Rongo University student Sharon Otieno was finally laid to rest on Friday in a ceremony attended by hundreds of mourners.
But there were only a handful of politicians, mostly from the region, who attended the burial of the 26-year-old, who was brutally murdered on September 3.
Some minutes to 4pm, her body was lowered into the grave by her colleagues from Rongo University, who attended the burial in big numbers.
Ms Otieno’s remains, which have been at the morgue for about a month-and-a-half, were interred at her grandfather’s homestead, next to the grave where her foetus was buried about a month ago.
Her mother, Ms Melida Auma, moved the crowd as she eulogised her daughter.
“Sharon’s death has been very traumatising. Death has snatched from me a beautiful, courageous, jovial and loved Ms Homa Bay County,” said Ms Auma as she described her daughter’s elegance in life and in death.
In the middle of the crowd stood the magnificent brown casket carrying her daughter. Ms Auma spoke as she pointed at it from time to time.
“People may say all manner of nonsense on social media. But her father, relatives and friends knew Sharon well,” she said.
Sharon’s father, Douglas Otieno, called on authorities to expedite justice for his daughter.
Members of Parliament who attended the burial are Peter Kaluma (Homa Bay Township), Paul Abuor (Rongo), Milly Odhiambo (Suba North), Aduma Awuor (Nyakach) and Gladys Wanga (area Woman rep).
Also present were are Senator Rose Nyamunga and Homa Bay Deputy governor Hamilton Onyango Orata.
Migori Governor Okoth Obado, who dated Sharon, and two county workers, have been charged with the murder of the student and her unborn baby.