Mercy Kanini holds memorial for her 5 babies as Eric Omondi stands with family
By William Muthama, September 24, 2026A sombre mood filled All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi on Thursday, September 24, 2026, as family, friends, church leaders and well-wishers gathered to remember Mercy Kanini’s five babies, who died days after their birth.
The memorial service brought together people who have stood with Kanini and her family following the devastating loss of her quintuplets.
Comedian and activist Eric Omondi was among those supporting the grieving family. Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko also arrived at Kenyatta National Hospital to support Kanini and was met by Omondi.
Eric Omondi offers words of comfort
During the memorial service, Omondi delivered an emotional message of encouragement to Kanini and those gathered to mourn the children.
“May you have strength from Him that surpasses human understanding,” Omondi said, offering words of comfort to the grieving mother.
He also thanked Reverend Ignatius for continuing to open the church doors to the family before concluding his message with, “God bless you.”
Following the memorial service, the bodies of the five babies left All Saints Cathedral as the family began the journey to Migori County, where the children are expected to be buried.
Omondi had earlier appealed to Kenyans to support Kanini following the deaths of all five babies.
In a statement shared on Instagram on September 16, Omondi described Kanini as a “national treasure” and called on Kenyans to stand with her as she prepared to bury her children.
He said the support would not bring the babies back but could help the family give them a respectable send-off and assist Kanini in starting a business.
Omondi also shared details through which members of the public could offer financial assistance directly to Kanini.
How the tragedy unfolded
Kanini, a mother from Juja in Kiambu County, made headlines after giving birth to quintuplets at Thika Level Five Hospital.
The delivery was particularly rare, with reports stating that she gave birth to five babies naturally. The newborns comprised four girls and one boy and were delivered at about 25 weeks of pregnancy.
Because of their extreme prematurity and need for specialised neonatal care, the babies were transferred to Kenyatta National Hospital shortly after delivery.
KNH reported that the babies weighed between approximately 630 grammes and 800 grammes and faced serious medical challenges associated with extreme prematurity.
The joy surrounding the rare birth was painfully short-lived.
Four of the babies died first, leaving the baby boy as the only surviving infant. The family and members of the public continued hoping that he would pull through.
However, KNH later confirmed that the fifth baby had also died, meaning all five children had lost their lives.
According to the hospital, a multidisciplinary neonatal team, including neonatologists, nurses and other healthcare professionals, provided specialised care to the newborns from the time they were admitted.
Despite the medical intervention, none of the five babies survived.