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Mother vs father: Court freezes burial of Kajiado girl mauled by lion
Ms Elizabeth Mawia Katumbi, the mother of 13-year-old Peace Mwende, who was killed by a lioness, displays a portrait of her daughter at her Tuala home in Kajiado East sub-county on April 29, 2025.
The Magistrate’s Court in Milimani has halted the burial of a 13-year-old girl who was mauled by a lioness 10 days ago in Kajiado County, following a disagreement between her parents over the burial location.
The court issued a temporary order on April 30, 2025, stopping the funeral of the Grade Seven pupil, Peace Mwende, which was slated for Thursday, May 1 in Kitui West Sub-county.
The court set May 2, 2025, for further directions.
The application was filed by Mr Kenneth Kipkemei Kigen (complainant) against the deceased’s mother, Ms Elizabeth Mawia Katumbi (defendant), before Magistrate A. Mwangi.
“That the court issues a temporary injunction restraining the defendant by herself, her agents, servants, employees, and/or proxies from burying or transferring the remains of Peace Mwende pending the inter parties hearing of the application,” the court ordered.
The court further ruled that the deceased’s remains be preserved at the Nairobi City Mortuary pending the hearing.
Mwende, 13, was mauled by a lioness in the servant’s quarters of Savannah Ranch in Tuala Village, Kajiado East Sub-county.
Peace Mwende's framed photograph.
In an interview with Nation on Tuesday, the deceased’s mother, Ms Mawia, 46, said her firstborn daughter had visited her biological father at his place of work on Thursday, April 17, 2025—four days after her birthday—at the expansive ranch bordering Nairobi National Park, when she was attacked on Saturday, April 19.
The distraught single mother revealed that her former boyfriend had been interfering with the burial plans, insisting the girl be buried in his home county of Nandi, contrary to her wishes.
When Nation visited Ms Mawia in Tuala Village on Tuesday, where she lives with her three other children, she appeared helpless and worn out.
The family lives in a dilapidated building reportedly abandoned by the original landowner before the property was subdivided into plots. The single room, shared with her children from another relationship, showed signs of extreme poverty.
A few utensils were piled in one corner, while two mattresses lay in another. Outside, there was no latrine. She earns a living through menial jobs.
“I have been receiving threats from my former boyfriend, demanding to bury my daughter in his home county of Nandi. He abandoned me after I got pregnant over 13 years ago. I am frustrated,” she said through tears.
She showed Nation her daughter’s birth certificate, which listed her as a single parent.
Ms Mawia emphasised that she was never married to the girl's biological father nor cohabited with him, yet the man is now pushing to bury the girl in Eldoret.
On Tuesday, the postmortem examination at City Mortuary was delayed for hours after the man reportedly tried in vain to stop it.
A requiem mass was held the same day at Tuala Catholic Church.
Ms Elizabeth Mawia Katumbi, mother of 13-year-old Peace Mwende, who was killed by a lion while displaying her daughter's birth certificate and a letter from the area chief at her home in Tuala, Kajiado East SubCounty on April 29, 2025.
Earlier in the week, the two feuding parties were summoned by Oloosirkon Acting Chief Jason Titapatet to try to resolve the dispute in front of family members.
In a letter dated April 28, 2025, addressed to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), the chief recognised the mother as the girl's next of kin.
“The above-named deceased was from my area of jurisdiction. Her mother, as listed on the birth certificate, is Elizabeth Mawia Katumbi, who is also known to me. The daughter was killed by a lion at Emakoko Sub-location. I am writing to your good office to kindly consider the family,” the letter read.
However, the girl’s father, Mr Kenneth Kigen, speaking by phone on Tuesday, April 29, afternoon, said that funeral arrangements were still ongoing and declined to provide further details.
“I don’t know when the burial will take place. Arrangements are underway. We cannot talk much as I am traveling,” he said before hanging up.
