Since the dawn of time, humans, for the mortal beings that they are, often have a preferred manner in which they would like to be sent off to meet their maker.
Worldwide, some individuals chose unusual ways in which they would love to be interred including the sending of one's ashes to space at a cost of Ksh1.2 million shillings.
In Kenya, several leaders such as former Attorney General, Charles Njonjo and former Environmentalist, Richard Leakey also chose pretty uncommon ways they wanted their remains to be handled.
From demanding burial within hours to leaving their properties in the hands of a trust instead of family members, here are prominent Kenyans who left unusual wishes.
1. Charles Njonjo
When the former Attorney General passed away on Sunday, January 2, his family announced that it had fulfilled his will of wanting to be cremated.
According to the last wish and message to the family left by the only surviving member of Kenya's independence Cabinet, he instructed them to take his body for cremation immediately after he passes on.
True to their word, his family cremated his remains according to his wish at the Kariokor Hindu Crematorium just hours after the official pronouncement of his death.
Before the exercise, his body was first taken to Lee Funeral Home, where it was prepared for interment.
2. Richard Leakey
Prior to his death on Sunday, January 2, former Head of Public Service, Richard Leakey, had wished to be interred at a special place not long after he is pronounced dead.
The Leakey family announced that they paid their final respects to him in a private ceremony a day after he passed on. Leakey's body was laid to rest in a special place in honour of a request made by the deceased.
"In keeping with Richard's wishes, we, this afternoon, interred his body at a place of his choosing, on his favourite ridge overlooking the majestic Rift Valley that he so loved," the statement read in part.
The burial was also done with minimal fanfare and flowers and other gifts from the public were declined by the family.
3. Bob Collymore
When he passed away in July 2019, Businessman Bob Collymore was cremated soon after in line with his wishes.
While ailing with leukemia (cancer of the blood), the former Chief Executive was vocal about how he preferred his final ritual be carried out.
He had also told Citizen TV anchor, Jeff Koinange, who was also one of his close friends, that he had accepted his fate owing to the serious nature of the cancer that he suffered.
"Then you look at the options. You know I am one of the people who believe that when I die, I actually wanna be cremated pretty quickly,” stated Collymore.
He was cremated at the Kariokor Hindu Crematorium in line with his wish.
4. Wilfred M’iti Murungi
Mastermind Tobacco tycoon Wilfred M’iti Murungi's burial in June 2019 was somewhat a bizzare affair that only involved his family members with the absence of his villagers.
Through out his life, the tycoon was a recluse and rarely interacted with villagers in his Magutuni village in Tharaka-Nithi County.
Despite his affluence, when he died, only eight of his family members were allowed into his home and the hundreds of people who came to mourn the tycoon were kept out of his home with heavily armed security.
The secretive burial affair is a family tradition since the tycoon's wife, who passed away in 2012, was also buried in the same manner.
So principled was Murungi that he did not attend his own wife's burial ceremony. He is said to have landed at a close primary school, handed his wife's remains to his children and flew back to Nairobi.
5. Njenga Karume
After his death in February 2012, a fierce court battle erupted over the unorthodox manner in which the late Cabinet minister and tycoon Njenga Karume had structured his will.
Instead of sharing the wealth to executors under his will, Karume left the property to be administered under the Njenga Karume Trust. His children were opposed to his choice of trustees.
He placed the trust under his friends including Attorney General Kihara Kariuki (who resigned soon after his death), Kung’u Gatabaki and Henry Waireri Karume who was his eldest son.
The family later filed a suit challenging the validity of the trust.
