Stephanie Kiuna explains why she missed her father's funeral

Stephanie Kiuna, daughter of Bishop Kathy and the late Bishop Allan Kiuna, has spoken out for the first time about missing her father’s funeral. Stephanie, who lives in Australia, did not travel to Kenya for the burial, leaving fans speculating about her absence.

In a video posted on her YouTube channel, Stephanie addressed the matter, which she described as “heavy” and emotional. She explained that her absence was not due to any issues with her father but rather visa-related challenges.

“This is such a heavy question,” she said. “So many people asked about it, and I appreciate those who did so kindly. One person asked, ‘Was there beef between you and dad?’ I hate that question, but I am here to answer.”

Stephanie revealed that missing the funeral was beyond her control. “There’s nowhere on God’s green earth I would have rather been than at my dad’s funeral. I didn’t have any issues with him. He completely understood, but it was beyond my control. It was related to my Australian visa, which made it impossible for me to attend. It was hard then, and it’s still hard to talk about it now.”

A post shared by Stephanie Kiuna (@stephaniekiuna)

She shared how much she and her family tried to resolve the situation. “We did everything we could. There’s no one we didn’t try to convince. But at the end of the day, me and dad – the relationship we had was more than just being at his funeral, even though I wanted to be there. There is nothing I could do.”

Stephanie became emotional as she spoke about her father’s absence in her life. “I miss him... Life is different without him. It’s those moments when you want to talk to him, but he’s not there. You want advice, but he’s not there. Those moments are hard.”

She also reminisced about her last moments with her father during Christmas. “The last time I saw him was Christmas, and now it’s coming up again. The weight of the holiday is going to be heavier because that’s the last moment I was with him. He pushed me to start a YouTube channel; he would always say I wasn’t a behind-the-scenes girl.”

A post shared by Stephanie Kiuna (@stephaniekiuna)

Bishop Allan Kiuna passed away on July 9, 2023, while undergoing treatment at Nairobi Hospital after battling cancer.

Stephanie’s mother, Bishop Kathy Kiuna, had earlier commented on her absence, saying, “We miss Stephanie so much. She really did try to come, but for issues that were beyond anybody’s control. But she will come soon together with her family.”