How Governor Nyong’o Could be in Prison Before Mother’s Burial

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News broke on Tuesday afternoon that Kisumu governor Anyang Nyong’o had lost his mum Dorcas Owino Nyong’o who passed away while receiving treatment at the Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu.

ODM leader Raila Odinga eulogized Mama Dorcas as a woman who “never stopped serving and guiding the family and the community she was part of despite her advancing years.”

Mama Dorcas who has also been described as a true matriarch and the pillar of her family passes away at a time when the Nyong’o family is embroiled in a bitter family dispute over the distribution of the estate of their father the late Hesbone Shimei Nyong’o.

Last year, the High Court in Kisumu ordered the governor and his sister Risper Nyagoy to include all children belonging to their two sisters as beneficiaries of their late father’s multimillion-shilling property.

Anyang' Nyong'o.

But the nephews have complained that Nyong’o and his sister have failed to obey the court orders and want the governor to be jailed for contempt of court.

The court accepted that Nyong’o and his sister have a case to answer over the contempt of court, and were due for sentencing on Tuesday. The judge however postponed the sentencing to Thursday, 30th May, after Nyong’os lawyers argued that the governor was out of the country.

What is Contempt of Court?

Contempt of court is a crime and is generally punishable by the court for showing disrespect. The most common example of contempt could be in the disobedience of a court order, like in the case of the governor. This could lead to the party being cited, tried and condemned to punishment for contempt if it is proved that the disobedience of the court order was deliberate.

If found guilty on Thursday, Nyong’o could be slapped with a fine or the judge might decide to send him to prison for six months. That means the governor could miss his mother’s burial ceremony.

Now that is a tough pill to swallow, but Kenyan courts have proved in recent times that no one is above the law, except a certain Matiang’i. But just ask Okoth Obado.

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Very little is known about Nyong’o mother, but we know she was close to Lupita Nyong’o. She passed away at a ripe age of 98, and it would be shocking if her son missed her burial.

Do you think Governor Nyong’o should be jailed for defying court orders?

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