A story is told by journalist Levin Opiyo that when Kenya's first President, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, died in 1978, his body was immediately put in a locally made coffin packed with dry ice.
To minimise the risk of the dry ice touching his exposed skin, he was covered in a foil.
This was to buy time and preserve it as the government awaited the arrival from London, of a specially made casket and an embalmer who had been firmly instructed to take the first flight to Nairobi.
Kenyatta's funeral plans had begun 10 years before after he suffered a heart attack.
Prior, imagining the death of the founding father had been outlawed by the then-Attorney General Charles Njonjo, but after the 3-day comma, the demise became inevitable.
Although he recovered and continued to discharge his duties as president,a close-knit group of government officials comprised of the then Vice- President Daniel Moi, Bruce McKenzie (Agriculture Minister), Dr Njoroge Mungai (President’s personal physician and Cabinet minister) and Charles Njonjo (Attorney-General).
Both the casket and the depositum plate were made in advance when Mzee was still alive and hidden in London.
A firm which was contracted to design the depositum plate had been instructed to partially engrave it and leave out the date of death which was to be added on the day of the president's death.
It was also agreed that a protective vault be inserted in his grave to protect the casket from rain seepage, termites and other underground conditions and also for future display after burial
The funeral director in London was given the option of choosing between an American vault similar to the one used in John F Kennedy's burial or a fibreglass vault used in European countries.
After the selection and purchase of a suitable vault, it was to be packed in a crate disguised as spare parts by being marked "M.T SPARES " and then sent to Kenya Army barracks Kahawa where it would be kept until Mzee's death.
Mzee eventually died in August 1978, the Queen was represented by Prince Charles while America sent its first biggest delegation to Africa for the funeral.
