A Kirinyaga widow has spoken after her wedding to her late partner went viral. Kirinyaga woman, Beatrice Muthoni (in both frames) wearing a wedding gown during her wedding. Casket (insert) carrying Munthoni’s husband’s body. Why Kirinyaga woman set wedding on hubby’s burial Beatrice Muthoni and her 60-year-old husband, Martin Gitari, had planned to wed on Saturday, April 6, but unfortunately, he passed away on March 16 after a short illness. He Was Obedient Child The body of Gitari left the mortuary for church, where the wedding went down, before proceeding to his home in Rukenya, where he was buried. The widow, together with her family, decided to combine Gitari’s burial with his wedding to honour their love. Speaking at Our Lady Consolata church in Kirinyaga county, Muthoni, who was dressed in a white gown, said she proceeded with the wedding plans to honour her partner. “Tulikuwa tumepnga harusi lakini Mungu akamchukua mbele. Leo ilikuwa siku ya mazishi na harusi yake tukamuweka pete huko kwa mortuary na mimi nikawekwa yangu (We had planned a wedding, but God took him away. Today was the funeral day, and we placed a wedding ring on his finger at the mortuary, and I wore mine as well),” Muthoni told Citizen TV. Daniel Githaka, the deceased brother, revealed that a young boy named after him (Gitari) stood in for him. “A grandson who was named after him put on the ring,” he said. Fr Sammy Njoroge, who presided over the ceremony, said it was his first time witnessing such an event. “Sijawahi ona kitu kama hii (I have never witnessed such an event). Family asked Gitari’s grandson, named after him, to stand in for the deceased na amvishe nyanyake pete (and put a ring on his grandmother’s finger.” After formalising their union, Muthoni fed her young grandson cake and enjoyed it with family, friends and church members who attended her big day.
by Caren Nyota