November 26, 2024

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Why Kenyan Christians and Muslims Should Embrace Cremation

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The way we send-off our departed kins is changing from extravagant burial ceremonies to private funerals and now the cheapest option of cremation.

Apparently, the rich Kenyans have been opting for cremation while the poor masses hold onto wasteful burials and long period of mourning.

Looking at how things are changing, it is time the Christians and Muslims embrace the culture of Indians of cremating the dead.

Cremation process.

For as low as Sh17, 000 Kenyans can cremate their kin rather than spend over Sh100, 000 on funeral expenses besides double this on people spending on travelling hundreds of kilometres to attend the burials.

Former Attorney General and Minister Charles Njonjo who was cremated recently was a staunch faithful of Anglican Church and despite being a man of means, he preferred a simple sendoff through cremation.

Most religious leaders of Christianity and Islam maintain that cremation is evil and also un-African but why are the moneyed and educated Christians taking that path?

Prof Wangari Maathai was cremated.

It makes no sense filling the homesteads with graves which keep provoking tears and taking huge space yet the land is diminishing.

The argument is that cremation may make them not to come back to life when that Biblical time of resurrection comes while others keep graves for purposes of observing anniversaries but this is not logical in this century.

It is time we hold a discussion on this matter and save our kins from digging deep into pockets in financing big burials that sometimes are muddled with politics.

Cremation of ACK Archbishop Manasses Kuria and his wife angered some Christians.

Already cemeteries in Nairobi, Nakuru and other parts of the country are full, forcing burials to be done on top of other bodies and this to me sounds bad than cremation.

We need religious leaders to lead this conversation as late Anglican Archbishop Manasses Kuria showed 19 years ago when he had his wife Mary Nyambura cremated.

This triggered a hot debate with many Christians faulting him but Kuria who was the second African Bishop of ACK was unmoved.

Karikor Crematorium where Njonjo and other prominent Kenyans were cremated.

Three years later in 2005 he too was cremated as per his wishes and since then prominent personalities have taken the path to the shock of conservative Kenyans.

Way back in 1996 Peter Okondo who was Minister of Labour was cremated. Similarly former sports administrator Joshua Okuthe and his wife Ruth Florence were cremated in 2009.

In 2011 Noble Laureate Prof Wangari Maathai was cremated at Kariokor crematorium and so was popular golf champion Peter Njiru in 2015.

Late Labour Minister Peter Okondo.

This triggered a preference for cremation as former chairperson of Maendeleo ya wanawake Jane Kiano was cremated in 2018, the same year political doyen Kenneth Matiba was cremated.

Still in 2018 John Macharia, son of media mogul SK Macharia was given a same send off and the following year former Head of Civil Service Jeremiah Kiereini and former Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore were cremated in March and July respectively.

Late Kenneth Matiba was cremated.

This shows the poor and over-religious masses could be holding onto a tradition that is impoverishing them yet the rich with all their wealth are not being pushed to the blink financially by funerals.

Apparently worldwide and in other African countries that are developing very fast like South Africa, cremation is becoming the option.

Lang’ata Cemetery filled up years ago.