Muranga man digs own grave, writes eulogy

An elderly man in Kiharu,  Murang’a County has left tongues wagging and confusion reigning high after digging his own grave-no pun intended- and writing his own eulogy.

Samuel Karanja who is now the talk of the village said he has planned his funeral in advance, to save his family the trouble of long-winded funeral preparations.

“I do not want to bother people at my funeral, most people bother people with their demise but that will not be me” he said.

Mr. Karanja began with preparing his graveside- a single-roomed cavern surrounded by colorful flowers where he posits he will be interred when he breathes his last. 

He has named his final resting place  “Kumenya”- after his alias- loosely translated as ‘knowing’; the words are plastered on the grave in white.

Speaking to Citizen Digital, Mr. Karanja said he had already left clear instructions on how he wants to be interred; no flowers, no cross, and he will not be expecting his remains to be covered with soil.

He has also printed the photo that will be placed on his coffin, and his eulogies which he said he wrote himself because no one else knows him better.

His shocked family was taken aback by the taboo but were quick to note that the elderly man is a peach in a mango tree.

His wife told Inooro TV that she has never seen her husband wear a shirt, even when it’s freezing cold or sweltering hot.

“He never wears a shirt, he says he hates warmth and even when he is working in the shamba, you will see him shirtless” she said.