Family Seeks Help to Bring Back Body of Kenyan Woman Who Died in Iraq Last December

A Kenyan family has pleaded with the government to help them bring back the body of their daughter who died in Iraq last year.

47-year-old Ruth Omungala from Ingusi village in Mumias, Kakamega County passed away in Iraqi capital Baghdad on December 26th, 2019.

Ms. Omungala, who was working as a nanny for different families in Baghdad, died after an illness, barely nine months after she moved to the Gulf nation.

One of her Kenyan workmates, Grace Makokha said Omungala complained of vomiting and diarrhea and died after her agent refused to take her to hospital.

Her family says Omungala’s employer requested to bury her in Baghdad to save them the cost of airlifting her remains to Kenya but they declined.

“My sister lived in Nairobi and worked as a nanny. She also did other odd jobs. We were shocked when we learned she had traveled to Baghdad and died after falling sick,” said Joash Okulia, the deceased’s brother.

The family says a lawyer and people claiming to work for human rights organization have asked them for money to help them bring back Omungala’s body.

“They are asking us to pay money. We paid Sh60,000 to a lawyer who promised to contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to help facilitate the transportation of my sister’s body for burial but since January, he no longer picks my calls,” said Okulia.

The family has asked the government to intervene and help them bring the body of their kin to Kenya for burial.