Kenneth Matiba to be cremated as per his wish

Veteran politician Kenneth Matiba, who died on Sunday, April 15 is set to be cremated instead of being buried with pomp and fanfare.

Before his death, Matiba is said to have made it clear that his family should not treat his death as a public issue or hold a fundraiser for his funeral.

In January 1994, a local daily quoted Mr. Matiba, then Ford Asili Chairman, expressing his wish to have his funeral held in a low key manner.

“I don’t want dancing, parties and Harambees when I die. After all, the Kikuyu traditionally never buried their dead. They used to take the bodies into the forest to be devoured by hyenas. Was that not wisdom?” posed Matiba.

The multi-party democracy crusader went on to say: “If a man was not assisted while he was alive, why should people raise funds for him after he dies?”

In the newspaper article, Matiba was also quoted expressing disapproval of having to accord all prominent political figures State burials.

He said if all leaders were accorded State burials, then a lot of land that would otherwise be used for development would go to waste.

After Matiba’s death, the government constituted a committee chaired by the Head of Public Service, Dr. Joseph Kinyua to carry out preparations for his burial.

On Tuesday, the Committee announced that two public funeral services will be held for the late veteran politician, who died at the Karen Hospital after a long illness.

The first service will be held at the All Saints Cathedral Church in Nairobi on Wednesday, April 25, 2018 followed by another service at Ihura Stadium in Murang’a Town on Thursday, April 26, 2018.

The date of the burial is yet to be announced.