The Lang’ata Cemetery is on the brink of closure after the Ministry of Health raised an alarm over the deteriorating state of the facility.
According to the ministry, the cemetery was significantly overwhelmed with bodies, making it a health and safety hazard towards the public.
Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni raised concerns over the dire condition of Lang’ata Cemetery following findings from a select committee, which exposed severe overcrowding and poor maintenance at the facility.
The committee has urged the Health Ministry to issue a formal notice announcing that the cemetery poses a health risk and is overcrowded.
"The city-county of Nairobi should ensure all activities taking place in that cemetery comply with public health legal requirements governing such practices to avoid infectious disease spread, social stigma and pollution of the environment," Health PS Mary Muthoni said.
PS Muthoni emphasised that the Ministry of Health was prepared to officially declare the cemetery a health hazard should the county government fail to act.
One of the key things the ministry wants the county government to do is reclaim a five-acre plot adjacent to the cemetery believed to have been grabbed. The Health Ministry believes the reclamation of the land occupied by residential houses could be key to the cemetery's expansion.
The PS added, "Nairobi City County should reclaim grabbed land adjacent to the cemetery for expansion purposes. We advise Nairobi City County to be compelled by the National Cemetery to obtain all necessary ownership of documentation for the same land."
Another key issue that was brought up by the select committee was the question of safety, as the Lang'ata Cemetery has emerged as a hub for criminal activity in recent months, where suspects tend to dump human remains and other illegal items.
The select committee’s findings come two decades after concerns were first raised about Lang’ata Cemetery being filled and unfit for continued burials.
Since the cemetery was opened in 1958, at least 157,000 bodies have been buried in the facility, including some renowned personalities over the years.
Currently, it’s estimated that around 30 bodies are buried at Lang’ata Cemetery every week, despite the site having long surpassed its intended capacity.
