Family of dead officer in Haiti pleads for swift repatriation of body

Corporal Kennedy Mutuku Nzuve. [MSS] It has been two painful weeks of waiting for the family of Corporal Kennedy Mutuku Nzuve, the Kenyan police officer who died in an accident while serving under the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) in Haiti. The family, who live in Mwihoko, Kiambu County, say they remain in the dark about when the officer's body will be brought back to Kenya for burial. According to his mother, Serah Nzuve, the silence from the government has only deepened their pain. "We have not been told when the body will be brought. People used to come to comfort me but it looks like they are also getting tired, which I understand. You know these people also have chores to do, and they can't come to my place daily," said Serah. She expressed concern that the uncertainty has left the family unable to make burial arrangements. Further, Serah said, while some assume that the government will cover all the funeral expenses, the family is actually struggling to raise funds for the burial and is appealing to Kenyans of goodwill to support them. "Many people think the government will cater for everything, but that is not true. We need help to give my son a dignified send-off," she said. Responding to the concerns of the family, MSS spokesperson Jack Ombaka told The Standard that plans were underway to return Mutuku's remains this week, although he did not mention the exact date. "I want to assure the family that the body will be delivered with all the honours the deceased deserves. We will accord him the best respect," Ombaka said. The pain of the family began on September 1, when police officers arrived at their home in Mwihoko with the devastating news that their only son had died in Haiti. Mutuku, 41, was killed in Petion-Ville on August 31 after an armored vehicle overturned during a towing operation. The accident left eight other officers injured, three of them seriously, and claimed the lives of two Haitian civilians. He was pronounced dead at Lambert Sante Hospital before his remains were flown to the Dominican Republic for preservation. "He was not sick, it just happened. He was my only son. We used to speak often. I always prayed for him to care for his children, take them to school, and prosper. But now what has happened is not easy for us," Serah said. She said that her biggest worry now is her granddaughter, Mutuku's eldest daughter, who is preparing for national examinations while grappling with grief. "He always told me how much he loved his children. Now my granddaughter is supposed to sit her Form Four exams, but with all this happening, she is struggling to concentrate," Serah said. Born in 1984, Mutuku joined the National Police Service in 2005 and served in Narok and Baringo before his deployment to Haiti. He was part of Kenya's third contingent to the MSS, where colleagues described him as a courageous, dedicated, and dependable officer. Mutuku's death is the second Kenyan casualty since the deployment to Haiti began. Earlier this year, in February, Police Constable Samuel Kitwai, 26, became the first Kenyan officer to lose his life while serving in the mission. In March, another officer, Benedict Kabiru, went missing after a gang ambush and has not been accounted for.

Family of dead officer in Haiti pleads for swift repatriation of body

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Family of dead officer in Haiti pleads for swift repatriation of body

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