Kisii Family Seeks KSh500,000 to Bring Home Kenyan Who Died in Dubai

A family in Kisii County is seeking KSh500,000 to repatriate the body of 26-year-old Stephen Nyang’au Sereti, who was found dead on a road in Dubai under circumstances that remain unclear.

Sereti, from Engoto Village in Boruma Sub-location, Nyaribari Chache Constituency, had travelled to the United Arab Emirates to seek work and was employed in the hospitality sector. His relatives had taken out loans to finance his journey, hoping his earnings would help ease the family’s financial difficulties.

His death has left the family facing both grief and debt, while they struggle to raise the cost of bringing his remains home. The estimated repatriation cost of KSh500,000 is beyond their means.

Local political aspirant Joel Okengo Nyambane has contributed KSh100,000 towards the expenses, providing some assistance but leaving the family with a KSh400,000 shortfall. The family is also calling on county and national authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding Sereti’s death. His relatives want to establish how he came to be found dead on a road in Dubai and are seeking answers before his remains are brought home for burial.

The case highlights the financial difficulties families can face when a Kenyan migrant worker dies abroad. Repatriating remains can involve substantial costs, adding to the emotional burden of relatives who may already have taken loans or made significant financial sacrifices to support their loved ones’ journeys overseas.

A similar case was recently reported in Vihiga County, where the family of Caren Muyumba buried her after she died in Riyadh under unclear circumstances. Her relatives faced a KSh400,000 bill to repatriate her body to Kenya.