Over a year since his lifeless body was discovered abandoned at a riverbank in Tharaka Nithi, the late Meru-based blogger Daniel Bernard “Sniper” Muthiani remains unburied. Sniper’s 104-year-old dad, Bernard Laibon, said he will find peace after he’s laid to rest. His father, 104-year-old Bernard Laibon, carries the emotional weight of an unresolved tragedy, one that has refused to let his soul rest.
Sniper, known for his sharp political commentary and online activism, went missing on December 2, 2023. Four days later, his decomposing body was found dumped along the banks of the River Kathita in the neighbouring county. The gruesome discovery sparked national outcry, with his followers and local leaders blaming political foul play. Why is Sniper’s dad not at peace But more than the public outcry, it’s the personal grief of a father who has waited in vain to bury his son. The initial promise was clear: no burial until justice is served. But as the case dragged on, the grief deepened, and the plans for burial stalled. A date had been set, December 13, 2024, exactly one year after Sniper’s death, for his final send-off. Yet even that moment of closure slipped away, as a land dispute arose, further complicating plans to lay him to rest.
Speaking to TV47 in a rare and heart-wrenching interview, Sniper’s father pleaded for his son to finally be buried before the end of June. “My life here is filled with pain. Even my soul has no peace—it is in anguish. I would like him to be buried before the end of this June; only then will my soul be able to rest and find peace,” the centenarian said with anguish etched in his voice. Why is Sniper called president Sniper’s body remains at Maua Methodist Hospital (MMH) Funeral Home, where it has taken on a strange status. In hushed tones and behind closed doors, he is now referred to as ‘the president’, not for his past influence in Meru’s politics, but because of how long he had stayed unburied. “We call him the president of the mortuary because he has overstayed here. The day he leaves here we will feel better and we appeal to anybody to expedite the removal of sniper and rest him to his final place,” said hospital CEO John Mungania.
For over 18 months, Sniper’s white coffin has remained untouched, a ghostly fixture at the morgue. Meru blogger Daniel Muthiani, whose body was found on a riverbank. Hellen Achieng, a mortician at MMH, revealed that he is their longest-staying client, as most bodies don’t go past 14 days. “So far, his is the body that has stayed the longest, he’s been here for roughly one year and six months, which is why we gave him that nickname. Normally, bodies stay here for one or two weeks,” she noted. Mungania promised that when the day finally comes, Sniper will be treated with honour. When will Sniper be buried In May, Meru governor Isaac Mutuma reignited hope, hinting that there were new efforts to resolve the land dispute and allow the family to bury their son. Mutuma said they wanted to see justice done and the nuclear family of the blogger supported it, promising to support the children in getting an education. He further revealed that Deputy President Kithure Kindiki had already built a house for the family.
By Didacus Malowa
