The bodies of Mercy Kanini’s five babies have left All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi for Migori County, where they will be laid to rest at their father’s rural home following a sombre memorial service.
Family members, friends, church leaders and well-wishers gathered at the cathedral on Thursday, September 24, 2026, to remember the quintuplets whose lives ended only days after their rare birth.
The five babies-Bravin, Bravlyn, Bravelle, Bravina and Braelyn -were born prematurely at Thika Level Five Hospital in a rare vaginal delivery that captured national attention.
Their arrival had brought excitement and hope to the family, but the joy was short-lived as the newborns faced severe medical complications associated with extreme prematurity.
The babies were born at about 25 weeks of pregnancy and weighed between approximately 630 grammes and 800 grammes.
Because of their extremely premature condition and need for specialised neonatal care, they were transferred to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), where they were placed under the care of a multidisciplinary neonatal team.
The team included neonatologists, nurses and other healthcare professionals who worked to keep the babies alive after their admission.
Despite the intensive medical care, the five babies died.
Four died first, leaving their brother as the only surviving infant and giving the family and well-wishers hope that at least one of the children would survive.
That hope was later extinguished when KNH confirmed that the fifth baby had also died.
The deaths left the family mourning the loss of all five children within a short period, turning what had begun as a rare and celebrated birth into a tragedy.
At the memorial service, mourners gathered to comfort the children's mother, 28-year-old Kanini, and other members of the family as they prepared to take the babies to their final resting place in Migori.
The mother, who comes from Juja in Kiambu County, had remained in hospital following the delivery and the subsequent loss of her children.
Her story had attracted widespread attention after news of the quintuplets' birth emerged, with members of the public following updates on the babies' condition.
Among those who offered support to the family was comedian and activist Eric Omondi, who has been involved in efforts to stand with Kanini and her family during the difficult period.
Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko also visited KNH to support Kanini and her family and was met by Omondi.
The memorial service at All Saints Cathedral provided a moment for those who had followed the family's journey to come together in grief and solidarity.
