DNA delays add to grief for families of Kibra fire victims

Families affected by the deadly fire in Kibra are facing yet another painful wait as DNA identification of their loved ones is expected to take up to a month, prolonging the grief and uncertainty that have already overwhelmed many households.

On Thursday, families began the process of DNA sampling at the City Mortuary, hoping to finally identify bodies that were burned beyond recognition in the tragedy.

But authorities informed them that results may only be ready after two weeks or even a month, adding to their anguish.

For many of the bereaved, the delay is not only emotionally draining but also financially exhausting.

The little support they received from well-wishers and the government is fast running out, and the mounting costs of transport, food, and daily needs are becoming unbearable.

In a growing chorus of pain and frustration, several affected families are now urging the government to speed up the process so they can give their loved ones a dignified burial and begin the long journey of healing.

“What is disturbing us most is being told that the DNA will take one month,” Justo Omunyala, one of the grieving relatives, told Citizen TV.

Another family member, Moses Okwokwo, added, “I was only called to collect the bodies of my children. This wait is too long.”

The situation is even more painful for Judith Ambani, who lost five family members in the fire.

The tragedy struck barely days after she buried her firstborn child, compounding an already traumatic period in her life.

“DNA will take almost one month. I don’t know what state I will be in by then because even now I’m on medication,” said Judith, holding back tears.

Her relative, Juliana Wetere, shared the same sorrow, saying, “When you see her here, don’t just see a widow... she just buried her firstborn recently. The wound hasn’t even healed.”

In Vihiga County’s Emuhaya constituency, grief has engulfed the neighbouring homes of Eboso and Ambani, where relatives, friends, and neighbours are in mourning after losing a total of seven family members in the inferno.

Moses Okwokwo Eboso, who travelled from Western Kenya, said, “I have two children at the mortuary. Others are in the hospital.”

His family, like many others, continues to face the daily struggle of attending to the injured while awaiting DNA results for those who perished.

As the families cling to hope and brace for an extended wait, they are appealing to the government for more urgent action.

They say a timely resolution is the least they can ask for after suffering such an unimaginable loss.