The family of 21-year-old woman who died in Saudi Arabia under unclear circumstances have refused to sign a form that allows them to collect her body.

Beatrice Waruguru’s family said they were being forced to sign the form without first ascertaining whether the body is that of their kin.

JKIA officials, however, maintained that they couldn’t allow the family to view the body at the facility, saying it was against airport policy. 

Waruguru left Kenya for Saudi Arabia in February 2021, but died under unclear circumstances in December that year, with her family claiming she was tortured.

On Saturday, May 7, the family was informed that their daughter’s body had been processed for transportation from Saudi Arabia.When Waruguru’s family arrived at the JKIA on Wednesday, May 11, they were told to first sign body-receipt forms before her remains could be handed over to them.

Waruguru’s employment representative was supposed to witness the signing of body-receipt documents.

“We were told that we could only view the body after signing the receipt documents,” said Mercy Wanjiru, the deceased’s mother. 

“The body, which I’m not sure is that of my daughter, had been wrapped like a luggage. The airport officers told us to accept it and go view it at the mortuary,” she added.

Wanjiru said they won’t accept a body which isn’t their kinsperson’s.

The deceased’s friend, Mercy Wambui, said Waruguru left Kenya for Saudi Arabia shortly after completing her secondary education.

“She never told me how she secured the deal to travel to Saudi Arabia,” said Wambui.

She, however, suspects that Waruguru was directed to an employment agent by a broker. 

The Association of Skilled Migrant Agencies of Kenya (ASMAK) representative, Josephine Muriuki, said they will alert authorities that Waruguru’s body arrived at the JKIA, but her family refused to collect it.

JKIA officials, who spoke to The Standard in confidence, said the airport does not have body storage facilities.

UPDATE: At around 6pm Wednesday, Waruguru’s family agreed to collect the body after signing the receipt forms, five hours after the stand-off ensued. They were not allowed to view the body on site. The Standard understands that her remains will be kept at the Kenyatta University Funeral Home.  By Pkemoi Ng'enoh , The Standard

Kenya has moved to avert a diplomatic spat with Uganda over a decision to localize fuel cargo meant for Kampala. 

“We had a meeting with the Ugandan ministry and their technical people because they were afraid that they were going to have fuel shortage. We explained to them and also sent them their stocks in our facilities and they are satisfied,” Mr Kamau said on Monday.

Oil marketers allocate 60 percent of their fuel imports to the local market and 40 percent for the neighboring countries including Uganda.

Kenya’s decision to localise the two vessels at end of last month rattled Kampala, prompting the lawmakers to order Ugandan lawmakers to push for the release of all cargoes meant for the transit market.

“Our country is likely to be enveloped into new fuel prices, which may lead to escalating prices and yet this is something we have been suffering from in the recent past,” Ugandan lawmakers said last week.

The government also slashed fuel allocations for oil marketers that had increased their quotas for the neighbouring countries adding to the supply fears that have gripped Uganda.

Reduction of the fuel quotas is being implemented in three phases as the government moves in to tame the oil marketers whom it accused of economic sabotage.

Kenya has since last month been grappling with supply hitches that led to a three-week fuel shortage prompting the government to order localisation of fuel cargoes meant for the export market.

The crisis that was blamed on fuel hoarding by oil marketing firms, has since eased as supplies to petrol stations improve after the government raised pump prices in a monthly review.

Uganda like other neighbouring countries offer oil marketers higher returns because fuel prices are not controlled in addition to being paid instantly unlike in Kenya where the State compensation delays.

Energy officials in Uganda will on Wednesday report to Parliament on the talks with Nairobi, coming barely a month after Kampala sought fixed monthly transit petroleum product quotas to ease the shortage.

Kampala demanded a fixed allocation of 110,660 cubic metres of petrol and 110,400 cubic metres of diesel transported through Kenya to satisfy fresh demand following the reopening of its economy from the coronavirus lockdowns.

Energy Permanent Secretary Pauline Irene Batebe wrote the letter after a meeting by oil marketers operating in Kampala linked the fuel supply crisis facing the country to inadequate allocations from Kenya.

Uganda wants its oil marketing firms to continue being supplied under the open tender system through their sister companies in Kenya. By John Mutua, Business Daily