Maritim Biwott Arap Tuwei and his wife Ruth Maritim, both from the Kapseret constituency, reportedly married in the traditional manner in 1946. Tuwei died at the age of 107, and Maritim died at the age of 100.

Strangely, the two had made the promise and told their children that when their time came to die, they would both sleep and leave no one behind.

Well, their time was due Friday, July 23, Ruth died around 9pm and at exactly 2am, Tuwei also died according to Tuko.

 

David Maritim, the couple’s fifth son and family chairperson, informed the newsmen that their parents died as they had wished while still living.

 

David said;

“They have always maintained that their deaths will be unique in such a way that both of them will die at the same time, their stand on these sentiments did not mean a lot to our family because we knew they were joking about the matter with dad always insisting that if he happened to die, he will be ‘accompanied’ by his wife, the reality of their untimely demise has hit us hard.”

He narrated emotionally how their mother requested to be accompanied outside at night before dying.

David added;

“While outside, she began shaking massively before dying. Her demise saw immediate family members around her break into wails that attracted the attention of our father who was inside the house. We had to lie to him that our mother had fallen sick and has been rushed to hospital but stable in health.”

 

The family chairperson also stated that his father awoke three times during the night to answer nature’s call, and at 2 a.m. after returning to the house, he fell asleep, never to be awakened again.

“He woke up three times in the night to answer the call of nature and at 2am after going back to the house, he went and slept, never to wake up again. We realised that he had passed after one of the immediate members of the family went to check on him only to give feedback that he was no more.”

 

Bishop William Maritim, one of the sons also narrated how their father decided to talk to all his children a week ago, sadly it didn’t happen.

Bishop William said;

“They would wake up at 2am and begin talking to each other. Theirs was true love and friendship that was unmatched.

“He called us insisting that we should all regroup at our home adding that there was a special message they wanted to share together with our mother. Unfortunately due to unavoidable circumstances, not all members turned up, leading him to postpone the meeting to a later date.”