SIAYA, Kenya — A family from Kademba Village, Siaya County, is urgently appealing to the Kenyan government for financial assistance to repatriate the remains of their relative, John Okoth Ogutu, who was reportedly shot and killed in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on Friday, October 29, 2025.
The family received the devastating news that Ogutu was shot dead by Tanzanian security forces while they were responding to incidents of post-election violence in the area.
Ogutu, who had relocated to Tanzania in 2018 and secured a job as a teacher, was allegedly caught up in the chaos while out purchasing foodstuffs at a local center.
According to human rights activist and Vocal Africa CEO Hussein Khalid, who broke the news on his official X account on Sunday, November 2, 2025, the deceased was a teacher at Sky Schools in Tanzania.
Khalid confirmed that Ogutu was shot in the Ubungo area of Dar es Salaam, and his body is currently being held at the Mwananyamala morgue.
Ogutu had last visited his Kenyan home in May to attend his father’s burial.
A mother’s grief and financial distress
The untimely death has deeply impacted his mother, Anjeline Ogutu, who says she has been robbed of peace since the news arrived. She shared the heartbreaking reality of her loss:
“Okoth is my eighth-born child and the eighth one that I am going to bury.”
Facing the complex logistical and financial hurdles of bringing her son’s body home, she issued a desperate plea:
“As we speak, I am stranded. I would like to have my child repatriated to Kenya and be interred close to his father, whom we buried in May this year, but I am financially drained.”
The family, based in the South East Alego sub-location, received correspondence from immigration authorities detailing the extensive formalities and costs associated with international repatriation.
The mother explained that they cannot shoulder the financial burden of the complex process:
“With all the procedures and associated costs, we as the family can’t afford that’s why we are appealing to the national and county government to come to our aid and assist us in bringing back Okoth’s body home,” Ogutu explained.
The loss of the breadwinner
John Okoth Ogutu had left Kenya in 2018 in search of better opportunities. He had planned to return permanently in December to care for his ailing mother following the recent passing of his father.
“Okoth had planned to return home this December. In the last conversation we had, he was going to dispose of his property and return home. Okoth was the only person I would get to when faced with a financial crisis,” his mother revealed.
She recounted the moment she sensed something was wrong: “I sensed something was wrong when my neighbours, who had learnt of his death, came home and each held prayers while asking God to strengthen me during this trying moment. It was on Friday at around 4:00 pm.”
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Mercy Okinyo Ogutu, the deceased’s sister, highlighted that John was the crucial breadwinner for the household. She added a tragic detail about the family’s history: “Okoth has been a breadwinner in our family, especially attending to our mother’s medication, now that the husband’s other 7 children are no more.”
She added the deeply sorrowful count of their losses: “We have buried Odhiambo, Ochieng, Achieng, Night and three other children, with Okoth being the 9th person to be buried in our family.”
Facing an uncertain future, the sister emphasized the family’s need for support:
“As it is right now, things are very difficult for us as a family; that’s why we need a shoulder to lean on,” Okinyo concluded.
