The controversy over the burial arrangements of Mary Auma Oliech popularly known as Mama Oliech has been settled.
Auma, who was the mother of former Harambee Stars captain Dennis Oliech, will be laid to rest on August 11, according to eldest son Nickson Onywanda. He says the family has come to a definite decision on the matter.
Onywanda explained that the family had met with elders to settle the differences between two factions of the family.
In what appeared to be a family tussle, two of the late Mama Auma’s kin on Monday placed two separate obituaries with different burial dates. The obituaries were published in the Daily Nation on Tuesday.
One obituary announced that Mama Oliech would be laid to rest on August 18, 2018 at the family home in Ratta-Seme, Kisumu county while the second obituary advocated for an August 11 burial.
According to the Daily Nation, one of the adverts was sponsored by one of Mama Oliech’s five sons while the other was by one of her daughters.
Speaking to SDE, Onywanda confirmed that there were disagreements in burial dates.
“Yes it is true there were differences in burial dates, but it all comes to one thing that she is our mother. One group wanted one date for their own reasons the other date also for different reasons. There was no unanimous decision on when to lay to rest our mother.
“So, one group placed an advert on the paper and the other followed suit. I cannot stop anyone from doing it. I understand why there is confusion but we as the family sat down with the elders and ironed out issues. They stated that a decision will be ultimately made by the eldest son, which is me. I chose 11th where the majority had decided,” Onywanda is quoted as saying.
Mama Oliech’s body -which is at Umash Funeral Home – will now be taken to her rural home in Seme, Kisumu County today.
The matriarch of the Oliech family succumbed to cancer on July 20.
