The family of late KCB executive Rosemary Chemutai Koech has explained why she was buried at night, saying the decision was driven by Kalenjin cultural traditions and the family’s desire to give her a dignified send-off.
Rosemary, who was the Head of Data Protection at KCB Bank Group, was buried at her parents’ home in Chepseon, Kericho County, at about 7.30pm on Friday, August 28, 2026.
Speaking during a memorial service on Saturday, family members said the timing of the burial was connected to cultural considerations rather than a plan to keep Rosemary away from mourners.
Family explains night burial
Clan chairman Samwel Keter, who is also a relative of the family, said Kalenjin traditions encourage a relatively quick burial after death.
He said the family had followed cultural practices concerning the timing of burial, particularly after a post-mortem examination.
Keter said the practice was intended to ensure Rosemary was laid to rest without a prolonged delay.
His explanation was backed by Joseph Towett Kalyasoi, a member of the Kipsigis Community Clans Organisation, who said there was nothing unusual about burial taking place after sunset.
According to Towett, night burials were practised among members of the Kipsigis community in the past, with modern funeral ceremonies often extending into the evening as part of that tradition. (Nation Africa)
Mother explains where she was buried
Rosemary’s mother, Beatrice Koech, said the family also wanted their daughter buried at a place where her four children would remain closely connected to her.
She said the Chepseon family home would give the children somewhere to go whenever they missed their mother.
“They say, ‘We want to go where our mother is.’”
Beatrice acknowledged that Kalenjin customs generally recognise a married woman as belonging to the family she married into, but maintained that there was also a basis for Rosemary to be buried at her parents’ home.
She said the family was determined to ensure Rosemary’s children could continue visiting the place where she was laid to rest.
Father: This is her land
Rosemary’s father, Paul Koech, also defended the decision, saying the portion of land where his daughter was buried belonged to her.
He said the family had consulted people close to them before settling on the burial site and pledged to continue caring for Rosemary’s four children.
Koech said the family could eventually put up a house on the property where the children could stay whenever they visited.
Rosemary’s death and burial
Rosemary died on August 21, 2026, aged 40, and was later moved from Nairobi to Kericho as disagreements emerged over her final resting place. She had worked at KCB as Head of Data Protection within the bank’s Risk Division.
Her burial followed a dispute between her parents and her husband, Kevin Migwe Kimwatu, over where she should be laid to rest. The husband had wanted her buried at his ancestral home in Matasia, Ngong, while her parents preferred the Chepseon home.
The family has now given its explanation for the unusual timing: they say the night burial was rooted in cultural practice, the urgency surrounding burial after post-mortem procedures, and their wish to keep Rosemary close to her children.
The wider dispute is expected back before the Milimani court on Monday, August 31, 2026.
