- Zuhura Rama’s father credited Msambweni MP Feisal Abdallah with covering most of the costs associated with his daughter’s burial
- The grieving father said Mike Sonko only contributed KSh 50,000 to help feed mourners after finding that most of the burial arrangements had already been finalised
- Mzee Rama criticised Sonko for publicising his support on social media, saying the family could refund him if he had ulterior motives for offering assistance
Sixteen families across the country are still mourning the tragic loss of their daughters who perished in the Utumishi Girls Academy dormitory fire.
Source: Facebook
One of the girls, Zuhura Rama from Kwale County, was recently buried in accordance with Muslim traditions, while 15 others await a joint memorial service planned by the government.
The state promised to give affected parents KSh 200,000 to help cushion them against burial expenses.
Since Zuhura’s family had to inter her body as soon as the DNA testing process was completed, they had to find resources to transport her remains home from Naivasha and cater for the burial costs as they await the government’s support.
Read also
Nyamira family demands seeks after daughter is allegedly killed by husband, body stashed in sack
Search option is now available at TUKO! Feel free to search the content on topics/people you enjoy reading about in the top right corner 😉
While preparations were underway, Mike Sonko stepped in and offered assistance to the family.
As is his norm, he shared updates on social media, posting several videos showing him supporting the grieving family.
However, this has since caused friction with Zuhura’s family, with her father, Rama Mohammed, accusing the former Nairobi governor of “showing off”.
Kwale dad credits MP Feisal for burial support
In a video, the grieving father first thanked the government and Coast region leaders for helping him give his daughter a dignified send-off.
He explained that they received assistance in collecting the body from Naivasha, with transport arrangements facilitated by Msambweni MP Feisal Abdallah.
“Feisal paid for transport from Naivasha to Nairobi Coptic Mortuary along Ngong Road and from there to the airport. He supported us throughout, and Sonko only came when we were already at the mortuary. He found the process already underway,” said Mzee Rama.
Read also
Utumishi Dorm Fire: Tears flow as Form 3 student killed in tragedy is laid to rest in Kwale
According to Zuhura’s father, Sonko asked whether they were facing any challenges, but they informed him that MP Feisal had already taken care of everything and that they did not require any further assistance.
He added that the MP paid for all five air tickets to Kwale, meaning the family did not need additional financial support.
Zuhura Rama’s dad criticises Mike Sonko’s help
According to Rama, he only accepted a small contribution from the former Nairobi governor to help feed mourners and visitors who had been flocking to his home since Zuhura’s death.
“I told him to give us something small, but I also assured him that we did not really need his help. That is how he gave me KSh 50,000. He later brought his vehicle to help transport the body, but I declined because everything had already been planned and paid for by MP Feisal,” said Mzee Rama.
The grieving father criticised Sonko for publicising his support on social media, arguing that he was taking credit that rightfully belonged to MP Feisal.
He urged the former governor to speak only about the assistance he personally provided and not to tarnish the MP’s reputation.
Read also
Utumishi tragedy: Moving moment as Sonko pays air tickets for students to bury fire victim in Kwale
“If he helped us, it was only a little, and we appreciate it. But if he had bad intentions in supporting us, we can even pay him back because he should not tarnish the name of my MP, who genuinely helped us. It is not good to offer support and then show off about it. If you help someone with one hand, let the other not know,” said Rama.
The grieving man maintained that all the burial arrangements were catered for by his MP and no one else.
Source: NGBREAKINGNEWS
