Obama asks Kenyan govt for help to bury relative

The extended family of former US President Barack Obama has asked the Kenyan government to help them bring back the body of their relative who passed on in the United Kingdom earlier this week.

Grace Kezia Aoko Obama, who is the step-mother to the former US President, died on Wednesday after a long illness.

And the deceased’s eldest son Malik has shared the family’s concerns that the current Covid-19 restrictions could hamper the burial plans.

“We are appealing to the government to make it easy for us to bring mama home as soon as possible,”he said.

Movement between Kenya and the UK has been hindered in recent weeks by a ban on entering London from Kenya by the European country due to Covid-19 concerns.

Kenya retaliated by directing passengers coming from or transiting through the UK had to go through mandatory 14-day isolation at a government-designated facility upon entry into the country.

The deceased has been living in England with close relatives since acquiring British citizenship in 2011.

Her death comes two weeks after the demise of her mother Sarah Obama.