Nairobi Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko is set to receive a commendation from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, barely a week after he kicked squatters out of cemetery land in Kariokor, Nairobi.
In a statement seen by Kenyans.co.ke on Saturday, October 26, the Commission's Director General Victoria Wallace is set to visit Nairobi on December 2, to deliver the Commonwealth Commendation to the Nairobi governor.
Governor Sonko welcomed the commendation, stating that it was a testament that his efforts to recover grabbed land had proved successful.
“I am delighted by this gesture and more than ready to meet the Commonwealth officials when they come,” he stated.
The commission promised to dedicate funds towards the renovation of Kariokor Cemetery, which had been illegally occupied and defaced by scores of families that the governor sent packing.
The renovation, the officials stated, is meant to transform the facility into a heritage site, to attract more Kenyans to learn its history.
"We hope this will also provide an opportunity for our organization to develop much closer links with both the National Museums of Kenya and the local community,” the commission's Director Richard Hill was quoted.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission's work is to commemorate individuals who lost their lives at war, investing in efforts that include building and maintaining cemeteries and memorials in more than 150 countries and territories.
An example of a cemetery run by the organization is the Nairobi War Cemetery located on Ngong Road.
The war cemetery was opened in 1941 by the British military, and in it are African porters and fighters who lost their lives fighting alongside the British soldiers during World War 2.
