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Kidero bans cementing of graves


There will be no more cementing of graves in Nairobi, Governor Evans Kidero has said.

He said the practice had consumed almost all the space in the cemeteries and also made them look ugly.

“We have decided to ban cementing of graves within the public cemeteries. We want to introduce lawns because cementing of graves is a stark reminder of sorrow that is not very good even for the bereaved,” he said.

Legal statute

He told NairobiNews that a piece of legislation would be in place from January to back this.

“We are working on a legal statute on burial that would provide for such a framework, it will help correct the disorder in these cemeteries,” said the governor.

And on a lighter note, the governor said having graves cemented might prevent resurrection of faithfuls when Jesus returns to take them to heaven.

“How will they come out with the solid cement all over them, we need to make it easier for these souls to ascend to the after life when Jesus Christ comes,” he said

Dr Kidero said it was easier to reclaim such places for other uses in future when the ballast is not in place.

He also said the county had launched a fresh bid to get a new cemetery.

The county has allocated Sh653 million to buy a new graveyard to replace the filled-up Lang’ata Cemetery which has been full since 1998.

The 150-acre graveyard managed by County Hall handles more than 20 burials each day. It now contains more than 100,000 bodies. This is double the capacity it was planned to handle.

The new directive by Dr Kidero comes at a time when the cost of burial has shot up by Sh7,600.

For instance, to bury an adult in a permanent grave, a family will now part with Sh25,000 from the previous Sh17,400, a child Sh15,000 up from Sh10,700 and an infant Sh12,000 up from Sh5,000.