A heavy cloud of sorrow hung over Esirulo village in Emuhaya Constituency, Vihiga County, as five caskets stood side by side, a heart-wrenching symbol of lives lost too soon.
Laid to rest were Ernest Omboko, 36; his wife, Flora Ambani, 33; and their three young children, aged 9, 3, and 2. The family perished in the horrific Kibera inferno that tore through the slum on the night of Saturday, May 24th, reducing homes to ashes and dreams to dust.
The devastating fire, which claimed eight lives in total, dealt a particularly cruel blow to Emuhaya, with seven of the victims traced back to the quiet village in Vihiga County. As mourners gathered to pay their last respects, the air was thick with grief, disbelief, and unanswered questions.
Community leaders and residents called for urgent government intervention to address the recurring fires in informal settlements and to support the affected families left reeling by the tragedy.
The funeral service turned into a moment of both mourning and reflection, a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the need for stronger safety measures in Kenya’s densely populated urban slums.