Kenyan Family Pleads for Swift Repatriation of Teacher Killed in Tanzania

Three weeks after Kenyan teacher John Okoth Ogutu was fatally shot during protests in Dar es Salaam, his family says they are still unable to trace his remains  a delay they describe as agonizing and unbearable. Okoth died on October 29 while in Tanzania during the unrest

According to the family, efforts to work with Tanzanian authorities and diplomatic channels have yielded little progress. They say the process has been hampered by confusion, empty promises, and bureaucratic obstacles

“It is very frustrating when we see both governments taking us round,” said family representative Bernard Miranyi. “We’ve been to the Embassy of Tanzania several times, and the answers we get from there ni majibu ambayo yanavunja moyo sana”

The prolonged delay has taken a heavy emotional toll, especially on Okoth’s elderly mother, who remains hopeful but increasingly distressed

Human rights organizations have also weighed in, criticizing Tanzanian authorities over the handling of the incident. Some groups have gone as far as calling for President Samia Suluhu’s resignation and urging the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate alleged human rights violations

These, however, remain unverified allegations; Tanzanian officials have not publicly responded, and no independent probe has confirmed the claims

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Okoth’s family is now appealing to Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to intervene decisively and speed up the repatriation process

Despite numerous visits to diplomatic offices in Nairobi, they say they have received no concrete updates on the location of the body or a timeline for its return

For now, the family’s plea remains simple and urgent: to bring their son home

Writer : Mweru Mbugua