The casket carrying the body of veteran journalist Maurice Juma Aluoch is being lowered to the grave during his burial at his Asumbi village home in Rangwe constituency, Homa Bay County on November 19, 2020. [James Omoro, Standard]
Veteran journalist Maurice Juma Aluoch was on Thursday buried in an emotional ceremony at his Asumbi Village home in Homa Bay County.
The journalist died at Homa Bay County Referral Hospital on November 9 at the age of 62 years.
Aluoch is survived by two widows Susan Atieno and Beryl Owira alongside nine children.
A battery of journalists and mourners joined his family at his home to pay their last respects.
Aluoch’s family described him as a man who revered God.
Beryl’s speech had mourners fighting back tears as she narrated how she struggled with her husband in the hospital.
“Aluoch fell ill on Sunday and died on Monday. We made a lot of efforts to have his life saved but he died,” Beryl said.
Susan appealed to the church and area residents to pray for the family.
“My husband was the pillar in this family. I appeal to you to pray for us now that he is dead,” said Susan.
Homa Bay Governor Cyprian described Aluoch, who worked as the county's head of communications, as an honest employee who served his administration with diligence.
In a speech read on his behalf by the director of political affairs Isaiah Alaka, Awiti said the death was a setback to the county government.
“I knew Aluoch in 1979 even before the idea of county governments came into this country. Aluoch was a very result-oriented employee,” Awiti wrote.
The speeches were delivered under strict guidelines in a ceremony that was meant for family members only.
Earlier, there was confusion after mourners first gathered at the grounds of Asumbi Catholic Church ground where the body would be placed for a requiem mass.
The mourners expected the body to be taken to the church ground from Kirindo Mortuary today morning.
However, the body was taken home directly at about midday, forcing mourners to leave for home a few kilometres away.
Aluoch is one of the pioneer news correspondents in Nyanza region in the early 1990s.
He worked for the major newspapers, the Kenya Times Newspaper that was owned by KANU party, The Nation and Taifa Leo newspapers owned by Nation Media Group and Ramogi FM—a radio station broadcasting in Dholuo and owned by Royal Media Services.
