BY MWANAHABARI REPORTER
Former Attorney General, Sir Charles Njonjo, was on Sunday, December 2, 2022 cremated at the Kariorkor crematorium, just hours after his death – the family has confirmed.
A video doing rounds in the social media space showed dark smoke escaping into the heavens – through the giant chimneys.
A few family members and stuff at the crematorium gazed into the smoke filled sky – as they received the remains of the last member of the first cabinet in Kenya.
Njonjo – like many billionaires who have gone to be with the Lord, before him – chose the flames.
Cremation has become a more popular choice than burial in Kenya, with projections suggesting that many more will choose to be cremated in the future.
The exorbitant cost of burying a kin, has been listed as the number reason why many chose to spare their families the headache of having to spend millions irrigating people throats and filling their stomachs.
But then, Njonjo was not a poor man. Why do the rich chose cremation?
Here are some of the rich Kenyans who chose to be cremated:
Bob Collymore
The former Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore was interred at the Kariokor Hindu Crematorium following his death July 1, 2019 at his Nairobi home after a long battle with cancer.
Joshua Okuthe
The 62-year-old former Kenya sports administrator was cremated on July 9, 2009 at Kariokor Cemetery, just four days after his death.
Wangari Maatha
The Late Nobel Laureate and leading environmentalist Wangari Maathai was cremated in 2011 in a largely private ceremony at the Kariokor Crematorium.
Kenneth Matiba
The multi-party crusader and billionaire Kenneth Matiba was cremated in 2018 a few days after his death.
Binyavanga Wainaina
The renowned and controversial Kenyan gay activist and author was cremated in May 2019 in Nairobi. The cremation was done at the Kariakor Crematorium in a low-key event attended by close family members and friends.
Jeremiah Kiereini
The former Civil Service head was cremated at a private function at the the Kariakor Crematorium in May 2019. Kiereini died in Nairobi aged 90. Mr Kiereini was appointed Chairman of the Kenya Breweries Board (KBL) in 1988 after leaving public service.