A Kenyan man has drawn public attention after reportedly paying dowry for his late wife two years after her death, in a gesture described as both emotional and culturally significant.According to a report by TUKO.co.ke, Peter Onundo from Homa Bay organised a traditional dowry ceremony to honour his late partner, Sharon Ojuok, who died in 2024 after an illness.Reports indicate that the couple had known each other since childhood and later reunited while at university, where their relationship developed. They went on to start a family and had a child together before Ojuok’s death at the age of 24, according to the report.
Sources said that at the time of her death, Onundo had not completed the customary dowry process. However, he was allowed by his late wife’s family to bury her, a decision he later described as an act of goodwill and support during a difficult period.
Two years later, reports indicate that he organised a ceremony involving family and friends, where he delivered dowry items, including livestock, to formally recognise the union in line with cultural expectations. The event was described as both celebratory and emotional, with family members expressing mixed feelings of grief and appreciation.
According to the report, the ceremony was also intended to honour his late wife’s father and family, acknowledging their support during her illness and after her death.
In Kenya, cultural practices surrounding dowry can extend beyond death, with some communities requiring payment before burial or as part of maintaining ties between families.