Joseph Kanyi | NATION Villagers place the body of Mr Wilson Machira Thiong’o in the grave at Githima, Mathira East, on August 22, 2011. He left a will barring his family from burying him in a coffin.
A man’s unusual request to be buried on a stretcher and crops planted on his grave raised apprehension in his village.
Mr Wilson Machira Thiong’o of Mathira East said in his will that he did not want to be buried in a coffin and instructed relatives to slaughter a ram and sprinkle its blood in his compound.
He also directed them to sweep the compound clean or he would curse them from the nether world.
There was uncertainty at Githima village when the body was brought from the Karatina District Hospital Mortuary.
The convoy stopped at the local trading centre where Mr Thiong’o’s friends tried to force some alcohol into his mouth.
The body was then taken straight to the grave without ceremony.
The burial was disrupted for a few minutes when a brother, Mr Christopher Munyiri, threatened to stop the proceedings if money was not raised to buy a ram for slaughter.
He was eventually persuaded to let the burial go ahead.
Because Mr Thiong’o had instructed that there should be no eulogies or crying at the graveside, mourners who could not control their emotions were escorted out of the compound.
Speaking after the burial, his widow, Rose Wambura, said her husband’s last wishes had been fulfilled.
“He was suffering from a throat infection and passed away on Tuesday. He had left written instructions that he wanted to be buried like in the olden days,” she said.
Mr Munyiri said that his brother had said he did not want a church burial.
He said they had buried their grandmother the same way.
Instead of flowers, sweet potatoes and a banana stem were planted on the grave.
“He wanted a traditional burial. I think he made the decision because he saw we are poor and could not have afforded a formal funeral,” Mr Munyiri said.
A neighbour, Mr Robert Muriithi, said he was still in shock at the spectacle.
“He did not want anything good to be said about him at the funeral. He even instructed that his grave be eight feet deep and nine feet long so that when God called him, he would not hear and wake up,” said Mr Muriithi.
Other neighbours said despite the strange demands, Mr Thiong’o did not belong to any cult.
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