The immediate family of Kezia Obama, who died on Tuesday in the United Kingdom (UK), has appealed to authorities to allow them ferry the body of the deceased back home in Kenya for final burial rites.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday Kezia’s firstborn son, Malik Obama, asked the Kenyan government to “make it easy” for the grieving family to give their mother a decent send-off back home.
“With Covid-19 (pandemic) the world is constricted. There are many restrictions…we are appealing to the authorities and the government at large to grant us passage and make it easy for us to bring our mama home as soon as possible,” said Malik.
Read: Malik Obama’s Mother Keziah Dies in UK
“We are quite aware of the situation right now with Covid-19 and the restrictions that are in place but we just want the way to be opened for us.”
The larger Obama family appeals to State to have body of Mama Grace Obama flown from UK to Kenya pic.twitter.com/c2h64VRbsy
— Nation Africa (@NationAfrica) April 15, 2021
Malik clarified that his mother died at the age of 78 and not 81 as reported in a section of the media.
“My mother was born in 1943…contrary to what is on the internet she is not 81,” he added.
According to the son, Kezia, a stepmother of former United States President Barack Obama, had been battling diabetes. She died at a UK hospital where she was receiving treatment.
Read Also: Sarah Obama Dies At Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Hospital
Kezia was the first wife of Barack Obama Snr. She is survived by four children; Malik, Auma Obama, Mustapha Abo and Sadik Obama.
Kezia’s death comes a fortnight after the passing of the family’s great grandmother, Mama Sarah Obama.
The matriarch was laid to rest at her home in Kogelo, Siaya county, on March 31 according to Muslim rites.
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