The Nairobi government has identified land to be turned into a Muslim cemetery.
This is part of efforts to accord residents a better final resting place. Most city cemeteries are full and there have been calls to have alternative parcels. Governor Mike Sonko said there are plans to fix the problem.
“We have got land beside the Lang’ata cemetery but we will have to wait for the National Land Commission to be reconstituted so they can guide us on the buying process,” he said on Friday.
This followed concerns raised by the Muslim community over the difficulties they face to inter the dead.
Over the years, they have relied on the Kariokor Muslim Cemetery, which is located along Kinyanjui Road, about one kilometre east of Kariokor market. Part of the cemetery has 59 graves of African soldiers who died during World War 11.
In December 2008, the cemetery was declared full. In 2015, it was gazetted as a national monument. That notwithstanding, illegal structures have been erected. A section with graves of civilians has been illegally allocated to jua kali (informal sector) workers — mechanics.
Also in the neighbourhood is the Ismaili cemetery used by the Ismaili Muslim community. It is located along Quarry Road between Ngara and Kariokor.
The inadequacy of burial space does not affect the Muslims only. Other residents have been relying on the 100-acre Lang'ata Cemetery that was declared full about 20 years ago. The city government has been looking for alternative land ever since. Last year, the county announced plans to acquire 200 acres so Lang'ata could no longer have additional graves.
In 2009, City Hall lost millions of shillings after the then City Council of Nairobi paid Sh283 million for 48.5 acres in Mavoko, Machakos county.
The land had been valued at Sh24 million. Former Local Government PS Sammy Kirui and former City Council of Nairobi Clerk John Gakuo were jailed for their role in the cemetery land scandal.
Kirui and Gakuo were sentenced to three years in jail and fined Sh1 million each for abuse of office and failing to comply with procurement rules.
In the 2016-17 budget, the county had expressed an interest in acquiring burial land in Kajiado, but that also turned out to be a costly venture.
City Hall charges Sh16,500 to cremate adults and Sh15,500 for children. Permanent graves for adults, however, cost Sh30,000, for children Sh4,000, and for infants Sh2,000. Those from outside Nairobi have to part with Sh40,000.
As part of efforts to tackle the space problem, Kenyans had been urged to cremate bodies, a process mainly used by the Hindus. Because of the deeply held cultural and religious beliefs, however, many city dwellers are unwilling to adopt the proposal.
