Family Seeks Financial Support to Honour Mercy Maina's Final Wish

The family of Mercy Maina Wachinga, 32, has appealed for financial assistance to fulfil her final wishes following her death at her Lavington apartment earlier this month.

Mercy’s mother, Grace Nyambura Nderitu, said her daughter had been an important part of her life and appealed to Kenyans to support the family. In a video shared online, she said the family’s priority was to ensure Mercy’s wishes were honoured.

“Mercy used to help me a lot. She was a very important person to me,” Ms Nderitu said.

Mercy’s sister, Wambui Maina, also appealed for support, saying the family wanted to carry out the instructions their loved one had left before her death. A handwritten note recovered by police stated that Mercy wanted to be cremated and her ashes scattered in a river. In the note, she also urged people not to judge others but to show compassion, and asked her mother for forgiveness.

The family said Mercy had a strong connection to rivers and wanted her final resting place to reflect that. Her death was discovered on 3 September after neighbours raised concerns about a persistent odour and her prolonged absence. Apartment manager Musa Kombo said residents had first reported the smell on 12 August.

Police later forced entry into Mercy’s apartment, where they found her body in an advanced state of decomposition. Investigators subsequently authenticated the handwritten note and determined that she had died by suicide.

The family is now seeking assistance to meet the costs of the funeral arrangements and fulfil Mercy’s specific wishes. Their appeal comes as they prepare to lay her to rest while dealing with the financial demands of carrying out the arrangements she requested before her death.