Body of Obama’s stepmother leaves UK for burial in Kenya

Keziah Aoko Obama died on Tuesday, April 13, 2021, in the UK. [File, Standard]

The body of Keziah Aoko Obama, the stepmother to former US President Barrack Obama has left the UK ahead of burial in Kenya.

According to family sources, the body of Keziah was expected to arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by midnight.

The Obama family tree. [File, Standard]

Keziah, the mother to Malik, Auma, Aboo and Sadik died at a London hospital on April 13, after a long illness.

The family has been raising funds to facilitate the ferrying of the body for burial at her Kogelo village home in Siaya County.

Mama Keziah Aoko Onyango's home in Kogelo Siaya county. (Collins Oduor, Standard)

Malik, Keziah's eldest son said the family has reached out to the Kenyan government to grant them passes to enable the ferrying of the body home for burial.

And on Thursday night, a family source confirmed that the body was airborne from London, and was expected to arrive in the country any time around midnight.

"On Friday, the body will arrive at Kisumu International Airport, and then ferried to Kogelo home on road," said the source.

She will be buried on Saturday.

Malik Obama while confirming the death of his mother Keziah Aoko Onyango who passed on in the United Kingdom on April 13, 2021. He asked the government to assist the family to bring the body home for burial. (Collins Oduor, Standard)

The source, who sought not to be quoted in the press due to the sensitivity that the matter has attracted since Keziah's death, said the burial exercise is expected to be low-key.

The source also declined to disclose how much was raised from the funds drive, and any burial arrangements.

"The family will be meeting once the body arrives to discuss everything in regards to the burial, and I do not want to get into details," said the source, adding that: "What is important now is that the body is airborne for burial at home as we had wished."

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