Former Prisons Boss Is Dead

The entrance of the G.K. Prisons Naivasha
The entrance of the G.K. Prisons Naivasha
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Former assistant commissioner-general of Prisons, Patrick Mwenda, is dead.

According to reports by Citizen Digital, Mwenda was taken to the hospital on Monday, January 3, after he fell in the bathroom.

He sustained head injuries from the fall and went on to have surgery. 

Mwenda, who also served as the Officer in Charge of  Naivasha Maximum Prison before his retirement, died at a private hospital in Mombasa two days after being admitted.

Former assistant commissioner-general of Prisons Patrick Mwenda at the Naivasha Maximum Prison (Undated)
Former assistant commissioner-general of Prisons Patrick Mwenda at the Naivasha Maximum Prison (Undated)
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During his time as the assistant commissioner-general of Prisons, Mwenda introduced education reforms to help inmates access learning opportunities.

At Naivasha Maximum Prison, Mwenda also advocated for the formation of the Mindfulness Project, which sought to change the psyche of inmates before they reintegrated into the society.

The former prisons boss had instructed his family that he wished to be cremated after his death and the family is making arrangements to fulfill his desire.

Mwenda's cremation request comes at a time when Kenyans are ditching the traditional burial practices and opting for easier and cheaper funerals to save families from unnecessary costs.

While cremation is still considered taboo in some parts of Kenya, other families are gradually accepting it as an alternative to burial.

There is still a wide variety of cultural, religious, economic and regional factors that influence the decision. Deciding which is right for you or your loved one depends on many factors.

For instance, the alarmingly increasing cost of burial space and the long and costly procedure involved in the burial process has seen some people opting for cremation.

Cremation involves reducing the body to its basic elements through a process that exposes it to open flames, intense heat and evaporation. This is done in a specially designed furnace called a cremation chamber or retort.

Many crematoriums require a container for the body such as a casket appropriate for cremation or a rigid cardboard container. 

A cremation ceremony at the Kariokor crematoria, Nairobi County
A cremation ceremony at the Kariokor crematoria, Nairobi County
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