Nakuru County is planning to prioritize to have a public crematorium due to lack of burial space in the cemeteries, County CECM Dr. Zachary Gichuki has said.
He said that most of the cemeteries in Nakuru are full and efforts to buy cemetery land for over six years now have been futile.
“We have always been setting a side budget to purchase land for a public cemetery but all has been in vain. We are now opting to set up a public crematorium to heed to the increasing demand, said the CECM.
Burial space within key cemeteries, especially in Nakuru, Gilgil, Naivasha and Njoro towns, is out and residents have taken desperate measures are being taken to accommodate fresh bodies.
“Nakuru North Cemetery and Naivasha Cemetery are full while the other cemeteries in the county are expected to be full by the end of the year. We are very worried what will happen before the end of the year as more people are dying. I could have wanted to book a space for my family members but by then only to realize they are already filled up,’ said Simon Ndungu, a Nakuru businessman.
Ndungu said that the residents have taken measures including recycling of graves, digging fresh ones on footpaths within the graveyards and along perimeter fences.
The Health County boss said that in a month, his office receives at least 10-20 people who want their kins to be cremated as the county grapples with lack of space in its cemeteries.
“The demand has pushed us to think about setting up a public crematorium which will be cheaper and time consuming compared to transporting a body to be buried many kilometres away. We urge Nakuru residents to embrace cremation,” said Gichuki.
Residents, however, said Nakuru includes people from different ethnic groups and different customs and it would be difficult to convince them to cremate.
A grave used to cost Sh20,000 at the Nakuru North Cemetery and Sh3,000 at Nakuru South.
The CECM also pointed out that it is expensive to bury than cremate as families have to dig deep into their pockets to buy a coffin and other related expenses and pay the mortuary bill.
He said there is also the emotional expense brought about by the agony families go through as they await burial.
“We have not set the fee yet but it will cost between Sh 2,000 and 3,000. The perception about cremation should change and leaders should lead in bringing about that change. They should encourage cremation. It seems many people fear cremation, but we are working to ensure that Nakuru residents are receptive towards it,” said the County Health boss.
Gichuki said the county has not identified land for a new cemetery.
He however said a majority of residents have been reluctant to sell land to accommodate a cemetery.
Traditional beliefs and taboos among Nakuru residents have been cited as a major frustration in search of new locations.
He said it has been difficult for the county administration to secure new locations because of the resistance from locals who associate cemeteries with bad omens.
Previous attempts to acquire land in various places, including Rongai and Naivasha, failed as residents said the graveyards would lower the value of their land. Other challenges cited by the county health official include specifications required like topography and distance and the fact that the county government has to bury unclaimed bodies every year.
“Most people are afraid to sell us the land because they do not want to live near a cemetery or have their land border it,” said Gichuki.
The officer said it is not easy to identify land with “strong” soil as required by the law.
“The law requires that a soil type assessment be done to establish whether it can allow for speedy body decomposition,” he said.
Gichuki said the law prohibits building cemeteries near water bodies, as the water can be polluted.
Since the advent of devolution in 2013, it has been challenging for the county government to get land for new public cemeteries.
He cited traditional beliefs and taboos among Nakuru residents have been cited as a major frustration in search of new locations.
However, Governor Lee Kinyanjui says his administration is aware of the challenge and is determined to get alternative land for public cemeteries.
Already Sh10 million has been allocated in the 2018/2019 budget for cemeteries.