A Nairobi court has ruled that the body of the late Milka Moraa Ongubo be transferred from Nakuru to Nairobi for a memorial service at CITAM Church Karen before being laid to rest in Nyamira County.
The decision followed a legal dispute among Moraa’s five children regarding her final rites. Three of her children — Julia Kemunto Ongubo, Joyce Kerubo Ongubo, and Jackson Momanyi Ongubo — moved to court seeking permission to transfer their mother’s body from Nakuru to Nairobi. They argued that Moraa was a devoted member of CITAM Church Karen and deserved to be given her final respects there before her burial.
However, their two siblings, Justus Morara Ongubo and Judy Kemuma Ongubo, opposed the move, saying it was unnecessary to transport their mother’s body to Nairobi for prayers. They argued that such an arrangement would be cumbersome and emotionally taxing.
In his ruling, Milimani Senior Resident Magistrate Festus Terer stated that all the children have equal rights and responsibilities concerning their mother’s burial. The court directed that the body of the late Moraa be transported to Nairobi for a church service before October 15, 2025.
The magistrate further ordered that the three siblings who sought the court’s intervention — Kemunto, Kerubo, and Jackson Momanyi — should cater for all expenses incurred during the relocation of the body from Nakuru to Nairobi. The ruling also stated that both sides of the family must be allowed to attend and participate fully in the memorial service.
“The plaintiffs are to conduct a memorial service for the deceased at CITAM-Karen or otherwise not later than October 15, 2025, with the defendants allowed to attend and participate,” the court directed.
Additionally, the court instructed that all five children be included in the final burial programme to ensure fairness and family unity during the proceedings.
Court documents revealed that the dispute arose after Justus Morara allegedly removed their mother from her home in Lang’ata, Nairobi, without consulting the other siblings. The plaintiffs claimed that he kept her whereabouts secret until her passing on September 21, 2025, in Nakuru, and later began burial arrangements without involving them.
According to the revised burial schedule, the body of the late Moraa Ongubo will be taken to her Nyamira home for an overnight stay on October 16, 2025, before being laid to rest the following day, October 17, 2025.
